The Consumer Council has urged gym-goers to check the actual annual cost of fitness plans and assess their own usage habits before signing up, after receiving a surge in complaints against 24-hour fitness centers over the past year and early 2026.
Last year, the consumer watchdog logged a record-high 155 complaints regarding round-the-clock fitness facilities, a year-on-year surge of 86.7 percent. In the first two months of this year, it received 49 related complaints, 33 more than in the same period last year.
A targeted investigation of 11 fitness centers that operated around the clock uncovered multiple misleading practices. Two venues promoted a “1-month membership” but in fact required consumers to sign up for at least two full months.
Some plans charge every four weeks, resulting in 13 charges a year instead of 12. The Council urged consumers to pay attention to the actual annual cost.
The Council also found that 10 gyms allow longer-term members to suspend their membership for special circumstances that prevent them from using the facilities.
However, policies varied widely on handling fees, application requirements and maximum freeze periods. Some gyms allow suspensions only for specific situations — such as pregnancy, illness, or overseas work — and require supporting documents.
Others allow suspension for 1 to 3 months without providing a reason or proof after paying a fee monthly or per suspension.
The investigation also found that two gyms required consumers to leave ID cards at the front desk during a free trial. Eight required consumers to register some personal information during trials.
For formal membership registration, 10 gyms requested ID card numbers, with two operators scanning or photographing the document to help auto-fill information. Additionally, nine gyms used facial recognition as the main access method, which involves collecting facial biometric data.
The Council reminded fitness centers to consider less privacy-intrusive methods, adhere to the principle of collecting “necessary and adequate but not excessive” personal data, and exercise caution when collecting and processing sensitive information such as identity documents.
