Although sports activities play an important role in people’s lives, only 6% of Romanians exercise regularly while 61% don’t practice any sport, and 18% rarely work out, according to a study from Benefit Seven, a company that provides sports and wellness subscriptions for employees.

Meanwhile, only 3 to 5% of the companies in Romania offer employees subscriptions to sports centers, reports local Mediafax. Most of them are active in areas such as IT, telecom, pharma, media, and communication.

On a market estimated at EUR 223 million in 2015, the frequency of practicing physical activities has increased in recent years, and so did the value of the fitness market. A Romanian was spending an average of EUR 11 on sports activities last year, more than double the amount spent in 2012 (EUR 5).

“The Romanian fitness market grows by 25% annually, on average, even if a similar percentage is not taxed, representing the grey market,” said Andrei Cretu, co-founder Benefit Seven.

Almost 60% of companies have signed a partnership with a provider of sports services, facilitating the employees' access to sports for a fee negotiated at the group level. Many of the companies are from the banking sector, retail, and automotive sectors. Over 15% of them are Romanian companies, and 40% of them are also active outside Bucharest.

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Irina Popescu, irina.popescu@romania-insider.com