Love it or hate it, fitness clothing is undoubtedly big business. But how much do you spend on clothes to sweat in? Katie Scott takes a closer look
After completing the washing for another week, I eye up the pile of vibrant clothing on my bed suspiciously. I shuffle around the bed and get a side long look at the stack of lycra. The big question is, will it fit in the drawer under my bed? As I yank the drawer in question open, I then embark on my usual squishing down routine of attempting to shuffle and wiggle the piles of capris, leggings, vests and t-shirts in a bid to magically make then somehow smaller and take up less space to fit in the new pile of freshly laundered sportswear. My name is Katie Scott and I am a sportswear addict.
Turns out I’m not the only one. A survey of 1,000 UK adults by training provider beabetteryoucourses.co.uk has revealed that as a nation, we have spent more than £249,600,000 on unused gym clothing and equipment in the last year. The 2016 Fitness Knowledge Report also showed that UK adults spend an average of £52 each on health and fitness clothing and equipment in 2015 – with one in 10 admitting they never once used what they bought.
According to the data, the average pair of running trainers costs £37, despite the average Brit running just 11 miles per year – a cost of £3.36 per mile. The research also found that gym goers spent an average of £550 on gym membership in 2015, despite only having been 13.5 times in that time – a cost of £40 per visit. 19% of Brits now have some form of gym equipment in the home, yet the majority (53%) use it less than once per month. Women aged 26-45 years old are the most likely to have some sort of home gym equipment – but one in three admit this is more to do with feeling self-conscious while exercising in public, than with the cost.
Although I make a valiant effort to squeeze every penny out of my gym membership and sportswear, I bet there’s a few sneaky, guilty looks flitting about now. My passion for sportswear has become a full blown love affair, and for the majority of the time, I actually feel more confident suited and booted for the gym than I do on a day to day basis in my usual clothes. What about you? Why do you buy sportswear? Do you use it all? Does it motivate you? What do you think of these stats?
