The start of the year is a busy time for fitness centres, attracting new customers and sometimes using opaque techniques to retain them. But consumers have reported issues to the Economic Inspection unit.
Some of the complaints include forced purchases, problems with automatic renewals, cancellations, contract modifications or terminations, and incorrect or misleading prices.
Since 2022, the Belgian Ministry of Economy services have conducted 51 investigations across Belgium, finding 31 fitness centres in violation of regulations.
However, the Ministry states that it is an overstatement to say that nearly two-thirds of fitness centres are non-compliant, as inspections often follow reports or initial findings of potential violations.
Not all infractions necessarily harm the client; for example, the absence of a company number on a website. The Economic Inspection notes that its efforts are effective, with most fitness centres complying after warnings. Out of 35 warnings issued by the administration, only five resulted in formal reports.
In a statement released Thursday, the Ministry of Economy advised the public to thoroughly inform themselves before subscribing to a membership. Every fitness centre must display its prices clearly, visibly, and unambiguously, without requiring any personal information beforehand.
Consumers should also pay close attention to the terms regarding automatic renewals, which must be highlighted in the contract.
