Welltodo Today: WeWork’s Wellness Hub, Pret Tackles Plastic Consumption, Athleisure Insights

Today’s key global wellness news articles from around the world, impacting the industry and influencing the business of wellness.

Soho Gyms in a sweat as rivals get leaner

Fitness chain Soho Gyms has revealed budget rivals muscling in on its turf have hurt sales and profits as London’s gym bunnies cut spending. The privately owned chain’s parent said in freshly filed accounts: “The fitness training options in London are becoming increasingly popular.

Breaking: How WeWork’s first wellness club is ushering in a new era for boutique fitness

While the boutique-fitness bubble is far from bursting, it’s started expanding in a surprising way as of late-from specialized studios offering a single type of workout to more tricked-out spaces that house multiple high-end exercise modalities under one roof.

News

More than 66 million people used gyms in the US in 2016 but a new report shows opportunities remain for club operators to increase activity among sedentary Americans. Health club memberships in the US reached an all-time high last year, attracting more than 57 million (an increase of 3.6 per cent on 2015) according to the 2017 International Health, Racquet and Sportsclub Association (IHRSA) Health Club Consumer Report.

Ben & Jerry’s launch organic range after weedkiller found in ice cream

Ice cream giant Ben & Jerry’s has revealed plans to introduce an “organic dairy” line after traces of a controversial weedkiller were found in its European products. In July, the Health Research Institute (HRI) discovered trace amounts of glyphosate in 13 out of every 14 tubs sampled in the UK, France, Germany and the Netherlands.

Pret a Manger trials free water stations at veggie stores

Pret a Manger is rolling out filtered water stations and reusable bottles across all of its veggie stores in a bid to tackle waste. From this week, customers will be able to refill their bottles for free at filtered water stations across Pret’s three veggie branches in Soho, Shoreditch and Exmouth Market.