The economic downturn is causing people to shun the gym and turn to fitness videos at home to help them keep in shape. Sales figures for fitness DVDs discs rose dramatically during 2008 with 600,000 more sold compared with the previous year, an increase of 46 per cent according to figures released by the BVA today, using data provided by the Official Charts Company.

In contrast, a recent survey from Moneysupermarket.com shows that up to 56 per cent of people with a membership to a gym or leisure centre are considering cancelling it, with one in seven people actually cancelling their membership in 2008. This suggests that the downturn is encouraging people to cut back on what they spend on getting physical in the gym and using fitness DVDs to keep in shape in the comfort of their own homes.

Sales of fitness DVDs typically surge during January as people begin their healthy regimes in the New Year after the excess of Christmas. This January, dance fitness products are dominating the top ten, with no less than seven of the best selling titles focusing on ways to “dance yourself fit”. The most popular fitness title in January 2009 was the most recent in a series of fitness titles from TV presenter Davina McCall entitled Davinia – Super Body Workout (2 Entertain).

Lavinia Carey, Director General of the British Video Association, says, “With gym membership costing upwards of £500 per year it is not surprising that many people are turning to fitness DVDs instead. As the recession begins to bite people are making economies and a fitness title offers the opportunity for people to tighten their belts financially as well as in the literal sense!”