Leisure-net Solutions' first Price and Promotions Comparison (PPC) report reveals aggressive pricing by budget clubs and shows private lower-mid range clubs competing with their trust and public sector counterparts.

The new quarterly service monitors private, local authority and leisure trust sites to analyse the sector's key sales drivers and help operators target their marketing plans more effectively. The first national report, which is free to download from www.leisure-net.org, is based on more than 50 telephone calls to over 30 operators.

It demonstrated clear price delineation between private sector operators, with a huge jump in prices between each of the gym types - budget, value, mid-price and premium clubs. "We would expect a blurring of price boundaries between the club types, in an attempt to capture aspiring customers from the segment below," said veteran industry observer Tim Webster, who analysed the findings. "But there is a clear gap between all the segments."

The report also illustrated significant savings on annual memberships, particularly within local authority and budget gyms, where more than 30 per cent can be saved over non-flexible direct debit membership.

Mike Hill, Managing Director of Leisure-net Solutions, the leading customer insight provider to the active leisure sector said: "As well as membership pricing, the service samples what promotions are being offered by major operators from the private, local authority and trust sectors across the country, as well as analysing whether these are value or price driven, for example.

"We saw a broad section of operators offering a 'No admin fee' promotion and a discount on the annual membership. Other popular promotions in the first quarter include a discounted joining fee and the 'First months free', but 'No joining fee' was January's most popular promotion."

The first PCC report is free to download from www.leisure-net.org. Simply click on the marketing intelligence button and then the PPC report. However, don't forget to register on the home page to receive future complimentary copies of the report.