New research has revealed ‘New Year New Me’ is no longer just for January as everyday wellness drives health spending.
According to new analysis from Experian and Reward, health and wellbeing spending has shifted from a seasonal January behaviour to a consistent, all-year round protected part of household budgets. Driven by higher spend per person, rather than an increase in customers, the research revealed that in the first two weeks of January 2026, overall spend on health and wellbeing rose by 3.9 per cent year-on-year, despite customer numbers falling by 2.8 per cent. Spend per customer increased by 6.8 per cent, showing that those who continue to prioritise health are committing more of their budget to it. The data suggests that January is no longer viewed as a reset period, reflecting how health and wellbeing is now prioritised within household budgets throughout the year rather than treated as discretionary spend.
Gyms, which were once the focal point of January health spending, are now playing a more settled role in people’s routines, with customer churn easing from 11.1 per cent in 2024 to 7.3 per cent in 2025. In January 2026, gym spend increased by 2.8 per cent year-on-year, continuing trends already seen at the end of last year rather than showing a January spike. Beyond gyms, health-related spending is increasingly showing up in everyday purchases. Sportswear and outdoor clothing saw growth of 12.8 per cent year-on-year in January 2026. Similarly, specialist grocery, including meal prep and wholefood providers, grew by 12.7 per cent year-on-year in December 2025.
“Health and wellbeing is no longer just a new-year priority. People are maintaining these habits throughout the year, even as they make difficult budgeting decisions elsewhere,” commented Colin Grieves, Managing Director of Experian Marketing Services, Experian UK&I.
