John Lewis launches fitness push with Northern Gym Equipment tie-up

John Lewis has partnered with Manchester-based Northern Gym Equipment (NGE) to sell the brand's premium home fitness range through its online platform, the two companies announced on 4 August 2026. The tie-up gives NGE — described as one of the UK's fastest-growing home fitness brands — a major new route to consumers nationwide, and marks another step in John Lewis's broader push to establish itself as the UK's leading destination for sport and wellbeing.

What's in the range

The full NGE collection is now live on the John Lewis website. Designed around what the brand describes as supporting control, balance and natural movement, the range spans neoprene dumbbells and kettlebells, dumbbell hands, hip bands, hollow rollers, pilates rings, swiss balls, yoga mats and yoga blocks, offered across a palette of classic and contemporary colours.

Among the confirmed products at launch is the Northern Gym Equipment Weight Storage Adjustable Bench, listed at £56.99. A second training item was visible on the John Lewis website priced at £399.99, though John Lewis has not detailed that product publicly. Individual prices for the soft goods — dumbbells, kettlebells, bands and yoga accessories — have not been confirmed at this stage. Standard delivery is free on orders over £50.

A strong start

The early signs are encouraging for both parties. According to John Lewis, Northern Gym Equipment was one of the top-performing gym equipment brands on its platform within the first week of launch — a result the brand's co-founder called a clear signal of demand.

"It's been a phenomenal start to our partnership with John Lewis, which demonstrates the strength of consumer demand for premium home fitness equipment," said Mahavir Singh Nerwan, Co-founder and Director of Northern Gym Equipment. "Changes in working patterns and lifestyles, with hybrid working, busy family schedules and flexible routines are driving sustained investment in home fitness. Today's home gym isn't a room hidden away — it's an extension of the home, designed to reflect personal style as much as performance."

NGE has recorded 150% year-on-year growth for two consecutive years, which helps explain why John Lewis came calling. Bimbola Akinloye, Buyer for Fashion Brands: Clothing and Sports at the John Lewis Partnership, said the brand stood out for both its design credentials and its capacity to scale.

"Northern Gym Equipment impressed us with a beautifully designed range, trusted quality and clear understanding of modern lifestyles. They also have the ability to scale and grow distribution as we look to the future. We're delighted to be working together with Northern Gym Equipment to offer John Lewis customers an inspiring new way to create fitness spaces with premium products they'll love using every day."

What's coming next

The launch is explicitly positioned as a starting point. Additional product categories and exclusive John Lewis-only fitness bundles are set to roll out over the coming weeks, with specific products and prices not yet confirmed. Those bundles will be unavailable through any other stockist, which could make John Lewis the only port of call for shoppers after certain NGE configurations.

The bigger picture: John Lewis goes all-in on fitness

The NGE partnership is one piece of a considerably larger strategic move by John Lewis. The retailer is rolling out new Sport and Wellbeing departments — each covering around 5,000 sq ft — across four stores: Oxford Street (first to launch), followed by Liverpool, Cheadle and Glasgow, with the Cheadle opening set for 26 August 2026. The investment is part of the retailer's wider £800 million transformation programme.

John Lewis claims to be the first UK retailer to bring sportswear, footwear, wearable technology, recovery products, AI-powered fitness tools and expert services together under one roof. Each department is organised around fitness goals — running, training, outdoor — rather than conventional product categories. Brands stocked alongside NGE include Nike, Brooks and Patagonia for apparel; Garmin, Oura and Whoop for wearables; Therabody for recovery; and Peloton, NordicTrack and Speediance for connected home fitness. Free gait analysis — ranging from a self-service scanner to treadmill-based assessment — is also on offer in store.

Managing Director Peter Ruis framed the investment in broad terms: "Whether someone's training for their first marathon, taking up Hyrox or simply looking to live a healthier lifestyle, they want everything they need in one place. Our combination of leading brands, expert Partners, nationwide shops and strong digital offer means we're uniquely placed to support customers across every part of their fitness journey."

The numbers behind the move

John Lewis's own sales data points to a substantial shift in consumer behaviour. Fitness tracker sales are up almost 30% year on year; connected home fitness equipment sales are up 27%; searches for Therabody massage guns on johnlewis.com have risen by over 250%; and searches for red light therapy are up 380%. Men's running trainer searches on the site are also up 280% year on year.

The broader market context is equally striking. The UK home gym equipment market is projected to grow from USD 15.6 billion in 2025 to USD 28.9 billion by 2032, at a compound annual growth rate of 9.2%, while the wider wellness industry is expected to reach £141 billion by 2034, according to IMARC.

• NGE is live now at johnlewis.com, with free standard delivery on orders over £50
• Exclusive John Lewis-only fitness bundles are due in the coming weeks
• The new Sport and Wellbeing department opens at John Lewis Cheadle on 26 August 2026