"Is It Possible That the Gym I Attend Also?" 12% of Domestic Gyms Do Not Comply with Price Display Regulations

Many Gyms Fail to Comply with Price Display System
Gyeonggi-do Shows the Lowest Compliance Rate

More than one out of ten gyms in South Korea were found not to properly comply with the price display system. The Korea Fair Trade Commission (KFTC) plans to consider follow-up measures such as imposing fines.

On the 24th, the KFTC, together with consumer organizations, announced the '2024 Gym Price Display System Inspection Results' based on an inspection of 2,001 gyms located in 11 cities and provinces nationwide.

In this survey, 248 gyms, accounting for 12.4% of the inspected targets, failed to properly comply with the price display system by not showing service details, fee structures, and refund policies on both business premises postings and registration application forms. Gyms, swimming pools, and comprehensive sports facilities are required under the subordinate regulations of the Act on Labeling and Advertising of Businesses, specifically the 'Notice on Important Display and Advertising Items,' to display service details, fee structures, and refund policies on both business premises postings and customer registration application forms.

Looking at gyms that did not comply with the price display system by region, Gyeonggi-do had the highest number with 99 locations. This was followed by Seoul (49 locations), Daejeon, Sejong, and Chungnam (40 locations), Jeonnam (34 locations), Daegu and Gyeongbuk (14 locations), Busan and Gyeongnam (8 locations), and Incheon (4 locations).

This survey was conducted by expanding the regions to include gyms that had relatively low compliance rates in the past. A KFTC official stated, "It appears that a significant number of gym operators still do not fully recognize their obligation to post important information." In the 2023 survey, the non-compliance rate was 10.7% among 2,019 gyms.

The KFTC plans to encourage gyms that have not complied with the price display system to comply again and, if necessary, consider follow-up measures such as imposing fines. Additionally, in the first half of the year, the KFTC plans to revise the 'Notice on Important Display and Advertising Items' to include sports instruction businesses (sports classes for children under 13), where cases of mid-term contract cancellations and refund-related damages have recently surged, under the price display system and conduct a fact-finding survey.