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According to statistics from the South African Department of Trade and Industry, South Africa’s global imports of sporting goods and equipment in 2017 amounted to US$137 million, of which approximately US$66.81 million were imported from China.
Fitness consumption growth
In recent years, Africa has become one of the fastest growing regions in the global fitness industry, and South Africa, as the leader of the African economy, has great business opportunities in the fitness market. The development of the fitness industry has benefited from the rapid growth of the population and the improvement of consumption power. In recent years, the middle class in Africa has been expanding. According to a report by the African Development Bank (ADB), the number of middle class people in Africa is currently estimated to be 350 million, and it is continuing to grow.
In addition, with the improvement of living material conditions, the probability of South Africans suffering from obesity is increasing. Statistics show that more than half of people over the age of 15 in South Africa are overweight, 12% of men and 40% of women are obese. Due to unhealthy diet and lack of exercise, more and more people are beginning to realize that their health is “red light”, and the middle class in South Africa is also paying more and more attention to outdoor sports and fitness.
A report released by Standard Bank Group shows that most middle-class South African families spend between US$15 and US$115 per day. This means that in addition to food, clothing, housing and transportation, the middle class in South Africa is spending more and more on fitness and entertainment. Moreover, more and more people are inclined to the CrossFit training program provided by gyms, and enhance their athletic ability through different training methods such as physical fitness, strength, explosive power, speed, coordination, flexibility, etc.
Great potential for future growth
The number of gym members is much lower than that in Europe and the United States, and there is great potential for future growth
According to official statistics from South Africa, as of the end of 2017, it is estimated that about 20% of South Africans exercise regularly. However, the membership of commercial fitness clubs in South Africa only accounts for 3% of the total population, while in the United States this figure is about 18% and in Europe it is about 10%. It is foreseeable that in the future, with the growing middle class, the rich variety of fitness products, and the public’s awakening to health awareness, South Africa’s overall fitness market will continue to grow greatly.
South African gyms have basically covered all urban areas in the country, among which Johannesburg, Cape Town, Durban, Pretoria and other large cities are more concentrated. Gym sites are mainly concentrated in shopping malls, commercial districts and other properties. Gyms in South Africa and China are basically the same in terms of equipment, but there are great differences in the number of people exercising and charging methods. In South Africa, gyms are almost full every day, and unlike China, gyms in South Africa generally charge monthly fees.
Currently, the largest gyms in South Africa are Virgin Active and Planet Fitness. According to The Economist, the annual revenue of gyms in South Africa is about $931 million. Among them, Viegin Active has a market share of about 60% to 70%. The company has 137 branches across South Africa and plans to expand to other African countries.
Chinese brands occupy a certain market
There are almost no fitness equipment manufacturers in South Africa, and the required fitness equipment is basically imported. The main fitness equipment suppliers in South Africa include Technogym, Rebel Elite, Fitness, MatrixFitness, Active Africa, FitnessDirect, Damascus Fitness, FitnessWorld, Fitness Warehouse, MiFitness, etc. These suppliers import and sell fitness equipment and accessories such as rowing machines, treadmills, and cycling machines, mainly to gyms, South African provincial and national sports teams, retailers and wholesalers.
The high-end fitness equipment market in South Africa is mainly occupied by brands from countries such as the United States, Canada, and Germany, such as ICON in the United States, Life Fitness in the United States, HB in Spain, and GYM80 in Germany. In the mid- and low-end markets, Chinese products have a greater brand influence and better market performance. In general, since the technical differences of various types of fitness equipment are not large, and there are differences mainly in product comfort, quality, and price, Chinese manufacturers entering the South African market can generally obtain a certain market share.
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