Sustainability In The Fitness Industry Statistics 2026

Sustainability in fitness touches everything from health outcomes to the environmental footprint of facilities and the supply chains behind gym gear. The page connects market scale with energy, emissions, and waste realities—such as how fossil-heavy electricity can raise carbon impacts and why building efficiency matters. It also looks at what shoppers and certifiers are pushing for across the U.S., the EU, and globally, so you can see where improvements deliver the biggest gains.

Key Takeaways

1 in 5 adults (20.1%) in the U.S. are obese (2017–2020), increasing demand for fitness and related sustainability-driven health programs
The global sportswear market reached $436.7 billion in 2023 (Fortune Business Insights), relevant because apparel used in fitness drives upstream environmental impacts
The global athletic footwear market was $40.9 billion in 2023 (Fortune Business Insights), showing material sourcing impacts from fitness use cycles
The global health club and fitness center market was valued at $96.7 billion in 2023 (Fortune Business Insights), implying a large addressable base for sustainability programs
$1.1 trillion in global energy-related CO2 emissions were associated with electricity consumption in 2022 (IEA), relevant because gyms are electricity-intensive
In the IEA’s Buildings sector, efficiency improvements can deliver around 40% of the emissions reductions needed by 2030 (IEA), guiding retrofit priorities for fitness facilities
In 2022, 76% of all electricity generated globally came from fossil fuels (IEA), affecting the carbon footprint of energy use in fitness facilities
In the EU, 64% of consumers say they are more likely to buy a product if it is certified as sustainable (Eurobarometer 2021), influencing sustainability credentials for fitness brands
ISO 14001 certificates in the world exceeded 400,000 in 2021 (ISO survey; certificate counts), indicating widespread environmental management adoption among firms that could include gyms/operators
30% reduction in building energy use is achievable with retrofits on average (U.S. DOE, Energy Efficiency & Renewable Energy), indicating potential savings for gyms
Energy efficiency improvements can reduce global energy consumption by 14% by 2030 (IEA), supporting business case for upgrading gym HVAC, lighting, and controls
The IEA estimates that heat pumps can reduce energy use for heating by 50% or more compared with fossil systems (IEA/heat pump guidance), enabling lower-carbon HVAC in gyms

With obesity rising and customers demanding greener brands, gyms must cut energy and waste to grow sustainably.

01 · Category

Industry Trends8 stats

1 in 5 adults (20.1%) in the U.S. are obese (2017–2020), increasing demand for fitness and related sustainability-driven health programshttps://www.cdc.gov/nchs/products/databriefs/db419.htm

The global sportswear market reached $436.7 billion in 2023 (Fortune Business Insights), relevant because apparel used in fitness drives upstream environmental impactshttps://www.fortunebusinessinsights.com/industry-reports/sportswear-market-102552

The global athletic footwear market was $40.9 billion in 2023 (Fortune Business Insights), showing material sourcing impacts from fitness use cycleshttps://www.fortunebusinessinsights.com/industry-reports/athletic-footwear-market-103345

In the EU, 82% of shoppers say they want more sustainable products (Eurobarometer 2020), pressuring fitness brands and operators to reduce environmental impactshttps://europa.eu/eurobarometer/surveys/detail/2255

In a 2023 McKinsey survey, 65% of consumers said they would pay more for sustainable brands, supporting sustainability-linked membership valuehttps://www.mckinsey.com/capabilities/quantumblack/our-insights

86% of consumers believe businesses should take action to address environmental issues (NielsenIQ 2023), supporting industry investment in sustainabilityhttps://www.nielseniq.com/global/en/insights/report/2023/

A 2019 study found that green building certification is associated with lower energy and water consumption, supporting adoption by facility operators (peer-reviewed review)https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0959652619310572

U.S. Green Building Council reports that LEED-certified buildings generally use less energy than typical buildings (USGBC/LEED resources), applicable to gym buildouts and retrofitshttps://www.usgbc.org/leed

Interpretation

Industry Trends Interpretation

With 82% of EU shoppers and 86% of consumers worldwide expecting businesses to offer more sustainable action, the sustainability push is becoming a mainstream Industry Trend in fitness, reflected in the 65% of consumers willing to pay more for sustainable brands.

02 · Category

Market Size1 stats

The global health club and fitness center market was valued at $96.7 billion in 2023 (Fortune Business Insights), implying a large addressable base for sustainability programshttps://www.fortunebusinessinsights.com/health-club-fitness-center-market-105023

Interpretation

Market Size Interpretation

In the Market Size sense, the global health club and fitness center market was valued at $96.7 billion in 2023, underscoring that sustainability initiatives are operating within a huge and clearly established industry scale.

03 · Category

Environmental Impact8 stats

$1.1 trillion in global energy-related CO2 emissions were associated with electricity consumption in 2022 (IEA), relevant because gyms are electricity-intensivehttps://www.iea.org/reports/global-energy-review-2023

In the IEA’s Buildings sector, efficiency improvements can deliver around 40% of the emissions reductions needed by 2030 (IEA), guiding retrofit priorities for fitness facilitieshttps://www.iea.org/reports/buildings

In 2022, 76% of all electricity generated globally came from fossil fuels (IEA), affecting the carbon footprint of energy use in fitness facilitieshttps://www.iea.org/reports/electricity-2024

In the U.S., recycling and composting reduce methane emissions from landfills (EPA), relevant for gyms managing waste from towel/packaging and eventshttps://www.epa.gov/recycle/recycling-basics

In the U.S., food-related emissions are significant; diverting organics reduces greenhouse gas emissions (EPA WARM), showing impact potential for waste diversion in fitness venueshttps://www.epa.gov/warm

A 2020 study in Environmental Science & Technology quantified that reuse can reduce environmental impacts of clothing substantially compared to new production (peer-reviewed), relevant to fitness apparel reuse/resale programshttps://pubs.acs.org/doi/10.1021/acs.est.9b05084

In 2022, electricity use accounted for about 25% of total U.S. energy consumption (EIA), impacting carbon intensity of gym operationshttps://www.eia.gov/energyexplained/electricity/use-of-electricity.php

The EU Renewable Energy Directive (RED III context) targets increasing renewable energy use by 42.5% by 2030 (EU directive), reducing grid carbon intensity relevant to electrified gymshttps://eur-lex.europa.eu/eli/dir/2023/2413/oj

Interpretation

Environmental Impact Interpretation

With gyms relying heavily on electricity, and 76% of global power in 2022 coming from fossil fuels alongside 1.1 trillion in energy related CO2 emissions linked to electricity consumption, reducing environmental impact means prioritizing energy efficiency and cleaner electricity to cut the biggest emissions drivers.

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04 · Category

User Adoption2 stats

In the EU, 64% of consumers say they are more likely to buy a product if it is certified as sustainable (Eurobarometer 2021), influencing sustainability credentials for fitness brandshttps://europa.eu/eurobarometer/surveys/detail/2506

ISO 14001 certificates in the world exceeded 400,000 in 2021 (ISO survey; certificate counts), indicating widespread environmental management adoption among firms that could include gyms/operatorshttps://www.iso.org/news/ref2601.html

Interpretation

User Adoption Interpretation

For user adoption in sustainability, the EU’s 64% of consumers who are more likely to buy certified sustainable products shows that certification is a clear buying trigger, and the fact that ISO 14001 certificates surpassed 400,000 worldwide in 2021 signals that organizations are increasingly aligning with the standards users respond to.

05 · Category

Cost Analysis5 stats

30% reduction in building energy use is achievable with retrofits on average (U.S. DOE, Energy Efficiency & Renewable Energy), indicating potential savings for gymshttps://www.energy.gov/eere/efficiency/buildings

Energy efficiency improvements can reduce global energy consumption by 14% by 2030 (IEA), supporting business case for upgrading gym HVAC, lighting, and controlshttps://www.iea.org/reports/energy-efficiency-2024

The IEA estimates that heat pumps can reduce energy use for heating by 50% or more compared with fossil systems (IEA/heat pump guidance), enabling lower-carbon HVAC in gymshttps://www.iea.org/reports/heat-pumps

U.S. EPA WaterSense notes that a typical high-efficiency toilet saves about 20% to 60% water compared with standard models (WaterSense product criteria), useful for gym restroom upgradeshttps://www.epa.gov/watersense/toilets

The U.S. EPA estimates that high-efficiency showerheads can save about 2,700 gallons per year (WaterSense showerhead savings typical), directly relevant to gym shower water usehttps://www.epa.gov/watersense/showerheads

Interpretation

Cost Analysis Interpretation

From a cost analysis perspective, energy and water retrofits offer clear savings potential because average gym building energy use can drop by 30% with energy retrofits, global energy consumption could be cut by 14% by 2030 with efficiency upgrades, heat pumps can cut heating energy by 50% or more, and high-efficiency fixtures can save gyms about 2,700 gallons of water per year per showerhead while high-efficiency toilets reduce water use by 20% to 60% compared with standard models.

Reference

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APA

Kevin O'Brien. (2026, February 13). Sustainability In The Fitness Industry Statistics. Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/sustainability-in-the-fitness-industry-statistics

MLA

Kevin O'Brien. "Sustainability In The Fitness Industry Statistics." Gitnux, 13 Feb 2026, https://gitnux.org/sustainability-in-the-fitness-industry-statistics.

Chicago

Kevin O'Brien. 2026. "Sustainability In The Fitness Industry Statistics." Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/sustainability-in-the-fitness-industry-statistics.