The best-selling products in gyms fall into three categories: physical retail (supplements, apparel, accessories), digital services (premium memberships, personal training), and in-gym advertising inventory sold through digital screens. For gym operators in France, diversifying across all three is the fastest route to revenue resilience.
Supplements consistently top the list of in-gym retail sales. Protein powders, energy drinks, and recovery bars perform particularly well because members are primed to buy at the point of need — immediately before or after a workout. According to Euromonitor International, the sports nutrition market in Europe was valued at over €4.5 billion in 2023, with France among the top five markets by volume.
Protein shakes and bars are the single highest-volume impulse purchase in gym retail environments. Brands like Foodspring, Myprotein, and Optimum Nutrition dominate shelf space in French gyms, particularly in urban locations where members often skip meal prep. Hydration products — electrolyte tablets and ready-to-drink formats — are a close second, especially during summer months.
Gym-branded apparel — t-shirts, shorts, water bottles — drives a smaller but meaningful revenue stream. IHRSA (International Health, Racquet & Sportsclub Association) data shows that accessories and branded merchandise typically account for 5–10% of a gym's total non-membership revenue. For high-traffic French chains like Basic-Fit or Neoness, that percentage can translate into significant monthly sums across multiple locations.
Service-based products — personal training packages, group class passes, and nutrition coaching — tend to have higher margins than physical retail. According to Les Echos, the French fitness market generates approximately €2.5 billion annually, with premium services representing a growing share of that spend as consumers shift toward outcome-driven fitness.
Personal training (PT) bundles are among the highest-margin products a gym can sell. A 10-session PT package priced between €500–€700 is not unusual in Paris or Lyon. Gyms that integrate PT sales into their onboarding process — rather than leaving it to organic discovery — consistently outperform those that don't, according to Les Mills International's 2023 Global Fitness Report.
"Members who engage with a personal trainer in their first 30 days have a retention rate nearly double that of those who don't." — Les Mills International, 2023 Global Fitness Report
Tiered membership structures — offering access to premium classes, guest passes, or locker benefits — are a reliable upsell mechanism. French operators including Fitness Park and Club Med Gym have adopted this model to increase average revenue per member without requiring footfall growth.
In-gym digital advertising is an emerging revenue line that many gym operators in France are not yet fully exploiting. Digital out-of-home (DOOH) advertising — delivered via screens inside gyms — allows operators to monetise wall space that is already occupied, turning passive square meters into an active income stream.
Platforms like Framen connect gyms to a network of premium advertisers who specifically want to reach gym-goers. The demographic — active, health-conscious, with above-average disposable income — is one of the most in-demand audiences in DOOH. Brands including Adidas, Premier Protein, Trade Republic, and BNP Paribas are actively buying gym screen inventory through networks like Framen.
Gym members spend 45–90 minutes per visit, creating substantially more ad exposure than a roadside billboard or transit poster. That dwell time makes in-gym screens disproportionately valuable per impression. For advertisers, it means quality attention. For gym operators, it translates into passive revenue with no management effort required.
Framen's model removes the typical barrier to entry. Hardware and installation are provided at no cost to the gym — the operator simply hosts the screens, while Framen handles content scheduling, delivery, and reporting end-to-end. This means:
Ads are curated to fit the fitness context, so content feels relevant rather than intrusive — an important consideration for maintaining a premium gym atmosphere.
| Revenue Stream | Margin Level | Management Effort | Scalability |
|---|---|---|---|
| Supplements & retail | Low–Medium | Medium (stock, staff) | Limited by space |
| Personal training packages | High | High (staff-dependent) | Limited by trainer capacity |
| Premium memberships | Medium–High | Low (once set up) | High |
| In-gym digital advertising (DOOH) | High | Very Low (fully managed) | High (per location) |
For French gym operators dealing with rising energy costs and rent pressure — both of which have intensified since 2022 — advertising revenue via managed DOOH networks offers a resilient income stream that doesn't depend on growing membership numbers.
French gym operators should prioritise products with high margins and low operational burden. In order of impact:
Physical retail can complement the above, but shouldn't be the primary revenue focus for gyms not already set up with refrigeration, stock management, and trained retail staff.
Personal training packages typically carry the highest margin of any gym product. However, in-gym digital advertising through managed DOOH networks offers comparable returns with significantly less operational effort.
Yes. Platforms like Framen install screens at no cost and handle all technical management, making the model accessible to independent gyms as well as large chains. Revenue is generated passively from day one of installation.
Earnings vary based on footfall, screen placement, and advertiser demand in the local area. Framen does not publicly publish fixed rate cards, but gym operators can expect revenue to scale with visit volume and screen count.
Not when content is contextually relevant. Ads curated for a fitness environment — from sports brands, health products, or financial services targeting active demographics — tend to blend naturally into the gym atmosphere rather than disrupt it.
Protein shakes, whey powders, and ready-to-drink protein beverages consistently lead in-gym supplement sales across France. Brands like Myprotein, Foodspring, and Optimum Nutrition are among the most recognisable in this space.
