Experian: "New Year, New Me" Is Now a Year-Round Wellness Mindset
by on 9th Feb 2026 in News
New insights from global data and technology company, Experian, and Reward, global leader in customer engagement and commerce media, shows that health and wellbeing spending has shifted from a seasonal January behaviour to a consistent, all-year round protected part of household budgets.
By analysing spending patterns across 2024, 2025, and the first weeks of January 2026, the research shows that growth in health and wellbeing is being driven by higher spend per person, rather than an increase in customers.
In the first two weeks of January 2026, overall spend on health and wellbeing rose by 3.9% year-on-year, despite customer numbers falling by 2.8%. Spend per customer increased by 6.8%, 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% in 2024 to 7.3% in 2025. In January 2026, gym spend increased by 2.8% 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% year-on-year in January 2026. Similarly, specialist grocery, including meal prep and wholefood providers, grew by 12.7% year-on-year in December 2025. These insights show how health is shaping everyday choices, alongside fitness memberships. For brands, this points to a wider health audience that extends beyond gyms and into everyday food, clothing and lifestyle spend.
Colin Grieves, managing director of Experian marketing services, Experian UK&I, said: "Health and well-being are no longer just a new-year priority. People are maintaining these habits throughout the year, even as they make difficult budgeting decisions elsewhere."
"Granular spending data helps brands understand what people and their customers are prioritising in their lives. These rich levels of insight make it easier to plan media and messaging around genuine behaviour, rather than assumptions or seasonal spikes in consumer activity."
By understanding where, when and how what groups of people are spending on health and wellbeing, Experian Marketing Services and Reward help brands identify high-intent audiences and engage more effectively, using real-world behaviour to support more relevant campaigns.
Follow ExchangeWire