Participation in leisure activities has been resilient through the cost of living crisis, helped by a post-pandemic bounce-back in many leisure sectors. There have been behavioural changes, particularly affecting out-of-home leisure. Consumers have reduced spending, traded down or adopted a ‘less but better’ approach, going out less but prioritising more.
Beyond a stagnating economy, the biggest challenge (but also the biggest opportunity) for the leisure market is diversifying its demographic base, to become more inclusive of under-represented groups including women, older consumers, ethnic groups and those with disability.
Flexible working practices and new technology are changing the conversation around work-life balance, opening up new possibilities for the role of leisure in enhancing wellbeing and social connection.
Key Issues Covered in this Report
- The impact of the cost of living crisis on leisure activity and spending
- How people spend their leisure time on at-home and out-of-home activities
- How much time people spend on leisure activities
- Motivations for how people spend their leisure time
- The changing relationship of work and leisure
Meet The Expert
John Worthington has worked for Mintel since 2005, researching and writing reports on UK travel and leisure markets. Previously he worked for Deloitte as the research manager of their tourism, hospitality and leisure practice. He has a first-class BA in History and a postgraduate Library/Information Management qualification.
A more fragmented workforce will use leisure time for social connection to replace 9-5 office camaraderie.
John Worthington
Senior Analyst
Collapse All
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- Key issues covered in this Report
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Executive Summary
- Opportunities for the leisure market
- Market dynamics and outlook
- What consumers want and why
- Graph 1: at-home leisure activities done weekly or more often, 2023
- Graph 2: out-of-home leisure activities done weekly or more often, 2023
- Graph 3: amount of time spent on leisure activities, 2023
- Graph 4: “I mainly do leisure activities to…” (Please select up to three)
- Graph 5: leisure behaviours and attitudes
- Innovation and marketing
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Market Dynamics
- Macro-economic factors
- Graph 6: GDP (quarter-on-quarter % change), 2021-23
- Graph 7: CPI inflation versus weekly total earnings growth, 2021-24
- Graph 8: “How do you feel about your financial situation over the next year or so?”, 2021-24
- Leisure participation trends
- New working patterns
- Graph 9: working arrangements, 2021-23
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What Consumers Want and Why
- All leisure activities
- Graph 10: leisure activities done weekly or more often, 2023
- At-home leisure activities
- Graph 11: at-home leisure activities. 2023
- Graph 12: at-home leisure activities, weekly or more, by age group, 2023
- Out-of-home leisure activities
- Graph 13: out-of-home leisure activities, 2023
- Graph 14: out-of-home leisure activities, weekly or more, by age group, 2023
- Graph 15: out-of-home leisure activities, weekly or more, by gender, 2023
- Time spent on leisure
- Graph 16: amount of time spent on leisure activities, 2023
- Graph 17: time spent on leisure activities on a weekend day, 2023
- Graph 18: time spent on leisure activities on a weekday, 2023
- Graph 19: percentage of adults spending 3+ hours per day on leisure activities, by age group, 2023
- Graph 20: “I have enough time for my leisure activities…”, 2023
- Motivations for doing leisure activities
- Graph 21: “I mainly do leisure activities to…” (Please select up to three), 2023
- Graph 22: “I mainly do leisure activities to…” (Please select up to three), 2023
- Graph 23: further motivations for leisure time, 2023
- COVID-19 and leisure time
- Graph 24: impact of COVID-19 on leisure, 2023
- Cost of living crisis and leisure time
- Graph 25: impact of the rising cost of living on leisure, 2023
- Graph 26: impact of the rising cost of living on leisure, by age group, 2023
- Work versus leisure time
- Graph 27: work versus leisure time, 2023
- Further opportunities for leisure time
- Graph 28: opportunities for building on leisure time, 2023
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Innovation And Marketing Trends
- Launch activity and marketing campaigns
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Appendix
- Supplementary data
- Report scope and definitions
- Methodology
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