This report looks at the following areas:
- Participation in various leisure activities in the past month, and how this has changed over time
- How the blurring of foodservice categories is affecting demand for pub and restaurant dining
- Opportunities for leisure venues to promote premium experiences to increase customer spend
- How the health and fitness club sector can respond to young consumers’ interest in personalised nutrition and fitness plans
Leisure operators must focus on ways to create and promote premium experiences in order to raise customer spend and cater to the ‘less but better’ mindset.
Paul Davies, Category Director – Technology and Consumer Leisure Habits
Market Definitions
This quarterly Report explores the changing consumer attitudes and behaviours towards out-of-home leisure activities in the hospitality industry, including dining at pubs and other foodservice establishments, as well as taking part in other leisure activities such as going to the cinema, gym, and attending live sporting and music events.
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KEY TAKEAWAYS
- Three opportunities for the UK leisure market
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Recent leisure activity participation
- Takeaways and fast food remain popular budget-friendly indulgences
- Graph 1: leisure activity participation in the past month, February 2025
- AI can generate personalised takeaway recommendations
- Graph 2: consumers dining preferences when eating out or ordering a takeaway, 2024
- Pubs battle against the premiumisation of fast food
- Graph 3: percentage change in participation in food/drink leisure activities, 2024-25
- Winning strategies for pubs
- Bridget Jones boosts cinema attendance
- Graph 4: percentage change in participation in non-food/drink leisure activities, 2024-25
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LONG-TERM PARTICIPATION TRENDS
- Participation plateaus after post-pandemic recovery
- Create premium experiences to cater to the ‘less but better’ mindset
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SPOTLIGHT ON: HEALTH AND FITNESS CLUBS
- Gym beats the pub for younger consumers
- Transform gym cafés into nutrition lounges
- Utilise tech to support gym-goers’ specific health goals
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APPENDIX
- Market definition
- Consumer research methodology
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