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As UK gyms enjoy a fleeting New Year’s bounce from those working off their mince pies, they are adapting their businesses to cater for a longer-lasting trend: the proliferation of weight-loss drugs.
PureGym and The Gym Group, the UK’s two largest fitness chains, are targeting users of so-called GLP-1 medications by investing in more strength-training equipment and specialist educational programmes for their personal trainers.
Originally developed as a treatment for diabetes, GLP-1 weight-loss drugs, such as Wegovy and Ozempic, act as appetite suppressants by triggering the release of insulin into the bloodstream. As well as losing weight, users are at risk of rapid muscle loss.
“New members say they’re coming to our gyms because the medication is making them think more about health and wellness — and also giving them the confidence to come in for the first time,” said Clive Chesser, chief executive of PureGym.
While weight-loss drugs remain difficult to access via the NHS, online sellers and private clinics have driven uptake in the UK. About 2.4mn people in the UK accessed GLP-1s in July 2025, according to healthcare analytics company IQVIA.
PureGym and The Gym Group plan to dedicate a greater share of their floorspace to strength training © Simon Dawson/Bloomberg
UK retailers are also beginning to develop product ranges to cater for the particular dietary needs of GLP-1 users, who are advised to ensure they eat enough protein and get sufficient nutrients from their reduced diet.
This month, Marks and Spencer and the Co-Op began selling salads, snacks and smaller meals that are rich in nutrients and protein.
A survey by AlphaWise and Morgan Stanley in September found that 70 per cent of people taking a GLP-1 medication reported exercising frequently — double the proportion that did so before they started using the drug.
Will Orr, chief executive of The Gym Group, said he expected the rise of GLP-1 drugs to boost memberships, but said the company was not taking this uplift for granted.
The Gym Group will seek to reach more of these potential customers by partnering with pharmaceutical providers “who may be looking to bundle in or provide [a gym programme] alongside the treatment”, said Orr.
Gym executives also expect the rise of weight-loss drugs to accelerate the rush towards strength-training equipment that’s already reshaping the gym floor, as users seek to maintain muscle mass.
“Unless you do strength training, everything that I’ve been told is that [taking GLP-1s] will be a bit of a disaster for you,” said Russell Barnes, chief executive of upmarket gym chain David Lloyd.
Even ahead of the rise of GLP-1s, operators were already recording greater demand for their barbells, dumbbells and resistance machines, as gym-goers developed “more rounded fitness habits” thanks to sports apps and influencers, said Orr.
Now, as they open or refurbish gyms, PureGym and The Gym Group plan to dedicate a greater share of their floorspace to strength training, in place of less popular cardio equipment, such as treadmills and rowing machines.
They were also priming staff to better cater to GLP-1 users. Education programmes for personal trainers have explored how to build specialised strength-building routines, which typically include exercises like squats, dead lifts and shoulder presses, as well as “empathetic communication”, said PureGym’s Chesser.
UK gym operators are hoping to replicate a transition already under way at fitness chains in the US, where the use of weight-loss drugs is more established. A survey by health researcher KFF in November found that 12 per cent of US adults were actively using GLP-1s.
Planet Fitness, the largest gym company in the US, has already rolled out more strength-training equipment, a move that chief executive Colleen Keating told investors in November was boosting membership and particularly “resonating with younger consumers”.