Among leisure participants with healthy finances, good for physical (47%) and mental wellbeing (47%) are the top two choice factors for out-of-home leisure activities, outperforming low price (32%), which only ranks 6th. This reflects the priority they put on leisure and health and how it drives their increasing participation levels. Brands can seize the opportunity to promote more premium activities to them amidst multiple crises.
Despite inflation in essential categories slowing down, 70% of Germans think the cost of living will deteriorate over the next year, which means cautious spending is here to stay. Less well-off consumers in particular are forced to continue finding low-price leisure activities, which leisure brands can address by making the bargain hunt more fun.
However, even 41% of financially struggling Germans think spending on non-essentials is a way of treating yourself (vs 62% of financially healthy Germans), indicating that leisure can act as a much-needed break from daily worries for both financial groups. Leisure brands can infuse activities with fun and enjoyment, positioning leisure as a sweet escape, for instance with a focus on nostalgic feelings or social connections. Moreover, emerging tech can help brands find new ground long-term, blending in-person experiences with technological novelties.
This report looks at the following areas:
- Overview of current market performance and the outlook for the next five years, with a focus on consumer spending and strategies for positioning leisure as a sweet escape in tough times.
- Participation in in-home and out-of-home leisure activities with a focus on key target groups, such as well-off consumers, families and younger generations.
- Choice factors for out-of-home leisure activities and how brands can leverage health to demonstrate value beyond cost.
- Opportunities to counteract barriers towards out-of-home leisure activities to up participation among less engaged groups.
- Behaviours relating to leisure activities, including consumer interest in emerging tech in leisure.
In the face of multiple crises, leisure brands can help to lift spirits by offering fun experiences that, for example, evoke nostalgia or foster social connections.
Silvia Hondt, Senior Research Analyst
Market Definitions
This Report covers attitudes and behaviours of German consumers aged 16+ regarding their leisure time. It examines which leisure activities Germans participated in and how brands can appeal to them.
Mintel’s market size is based on value sales of different sectors (eg restaurants, health and fitness activities, live entertainment, gambling). Other leisure markets/activities are discussed throughout this Report such as competitive socialising concepts (eg escape rooms, crazy golf), including participation in leisure activities conducted at home.
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EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
- What you need to know
- Opportunities
- Market size & forecast
- Germans’ demand for sweet leisure escapes will fuel short-term market growth
- Outlook
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OPPORTUNITIES
- Leverage increasing participation levels amidst ongoing crises
- Indulgence needed in ongoing tough times
- Pack leisure activities with fun to contrast gloomy times
- Be inspired by brands focusing on celebration to combat bad mood…
- …with McDonald’s celebrating Big-Rösti time…
- …and Heineken celebrating nights in
- Cater to key users in challenging times
- Focus on providing value beyond cost
- Make the bargain hunt more fun
- Embrace health as an additional choice factor
- Urban Sports heralds the era of wellbeing
- Unlock premiumisation with a focus on new experiences
- Embrace new technologies to find new ground
- Get ready for tech to play a bigger role in shaping leisure choices
- Bring digital content to the real world
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CONSUMER
- Participation in out-of-home leisure activities
- Participation across different activities is on the rise
- Graph 1: leisure activities participated in – NET, 2023, 2024
- Germans are seeking a sweet escape…
- …and brands can engage them in mood-boosting activities
- Graph 2: feeling like most people in Germany are in a bad mood at the moment, 2024
- Increasing variety in out-of-home leisure activities
- Well-off consumers are driving growth
- Cater to new and existing target groups
- Choice factors for out-of-home leisure activities
- Economic challenges drive demand for affordable activities…
- Graph 3: choice factors for out-of-home leisure activities, 2024
- …among less well-off consumers
- Combine low price with additional choice factors
- Expand reach with holistic health
- Peloton taps into the power of community…
- …and McFit launched its new holistic concept
- Help consumers improve mental health…
- …and be aware of the role of gender in social health
- Promote premium activities to well-off consumers
- Health brands: tap into premium activities…
- …to keep consumers engaged
- Barriers towards out-of-home leisure activities
- Cost as a barrier
- Graph 4: barriers to participate in (more) leisure activities, 2024
- Engaged participants struggle with limited time…
- …and Europa Park helps them enjoy their limited time in a relaxed way
- Don’t forget to serve the underserved
- Participation in in-home leisure activities
- In-home leisure activity participation remains steady
- Graph 5: participation in in-home leisure activities, 2023, 2024
- Make in-home events more interactive…
- …and cater to the demand for nostalgic moments
- Engage younger generations in exciting in-home activities
- Behaviours towards leisure activities
- Stay ahead of lifestyle trends
- Graph 6: behaviours towards lifestyle and leisure activities, 2024
- Help leisure participants convey a healthy lifestyle in social settings
- Tech adoption in leisure…
- Graph 7: behaviour towards ‘I have searched for out-of-home leisure activities using an Artificial Intelligence (AI) tool in the last 12 months’, by generation, 2024
- Graph 8: agreement with ‘the use of new technologies makes out-of-home leisure activities more appealing to me’, by generation, 2024
- …is key to target younger generations
- Be inspired by Sandbox VR expanding throughout Germany
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MARKET
- Market drivers
- Inflation has eased…
- …but Germans face ongoing price increases for leisure activities
- Graph 9: consumer price index, by leisure categories, 2024
- Financial confidence in 2025 remains unstable
- Well-off Germans can be expected to spend more on leisure
- Graph 10: planning to spend more money on leisure activities out of home in the next 12 months compared to the last 12, by financial situation, 2024
- Health remains consumers’ priority…
- Graph 11: top three goals for 2025, 2024
- …and more Germans say their mental wellbeing has improved
- Graph 12: change in overall mental wellbeing compared to a year ago, 2022, 2024
- Consumers have learnt to cope with the polycrisis
- Gen AI adoption is growing fast
- Graph 13: having used selected technologies before, 2023-24
- Tech implementations can create excitement…
- …and uncertainties
- Market size
- Rising prices continue to fuel market growth
- Market segmentation
- Rising prices drive growth across most categories…
- …with foodservice at the top
- Market growth across different categories…
- …with mixed results in the cultural and entertainment sector
- Market forecast
- Germans’ demand for sweet leisure escapes will fuel short-term market growth
- Germans will remain cautious spenders short term
- Brands can emphasise health to encourage spending mid-term
- Tech x leisure as the new normal long-term
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APPENDIX
- Report scope and definitions
- Market definition
- Generations
- Abbreviations
- Methodology – consumer research
- Consumer research methodology
- A note on language
- TURF analysis methodology
- TURF analysis – “Which of the following would make you choose one out-of-home leisure activity over another?”
- Methodology – market size and forecast
- Forecast methodology
- Forecast methodology – fan chart
- Market size – value
- Market forecast and prediction intervals – value
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