Budget gym chain Xercise4Less is planning to expand its Xercise4Perks initiative to include discounts at high street shops so the scheme appeals to an even wider proportion of its member base.

The operator has released figures from its Xercise4Perks programme - a points-based system which incentivises members to exercise more and also to get more people active.

The Xercise4Perks app, which was launched in the summer of 2014, encourages members to visit the gym more regularly, refer friends and family, as well as engage with the gym on social media in return for rewards like courtesy membership, personal training sessions, protein bundles and discounted fitness gear. 

Xercise4Less boasts 47 clubs across the UK with more than 325,000 members. A total of 193,102 people have signed up to the scheme. Of these, 14,613 regularly post on their Facebook wall about their visit to the gym, 12,309 people tweet Xercise4Less directly from their Xercise4Perks account and 3,333 people upload pictures to Facebook.

The gym chain has had 8,080 referrals directly from members on the scheme.

A total of 16,491 day pass offers have been claimed through Xercise4Perks and 2,016 people have earned free personal training sessions.

There are now plans to grow the initiative and build better partnerships with brands.

Joe Hall, Xercise4Less head of customer engagement, said: “The Xercise4Perks programme benefits us as the operator by increasing our ancillary revenue but also the end consumer as products are available at discount. It is this area we want to primarily expand and this will come about from loyal members redeeming their points on protein, merchandise and personal training that you can buy in our gym.

“The other areas we would like to grow Xercise4Perks in are by linking it with our fitness app so members can earn points for successfully engaging with their fitness and logging their workouts and nutrition.

“Finally, for XercisePerks to appeal to an even wider proportion of our member base we want to include exclusive discounts in high street stores. Members have expressed that's what they want to see, so we must do our duty in delivering this.”

Xercise4Less, which plans to open thirteen more clubs by the end of the year, finished last year as the top ranking private fitness brand on social media platforms.