This year’s Spa Life UK conference brought more than industry networking and product showcases, it delivered a powerful, urgent message: the wellness industry is evolving rapidly, and we must evolve with it.
With insights drawn from the expert-led sessions, here are my top 10 takeaways that every wellness professional needs to reflect on, act on, and share.
- The Wellness Market Is Becoming Polarised
The first session from Day 2 was from Jane Kitchen at Spa Business, she spoke about seeing a clear split in the wellness landscape: the rise of “hardcare” vs “softcare”. Hardcare is all about high-tech, medically driven, performance-based optimisation (think: biohacking and longevity clinics). Softcare is its gentler counterpart, prioritising mental health, community, simplicity, and emotional balance. Consumers are choosing sides, and sometimes moving between both. It’s time for businesses to understand and cater to both paths, or risk getting left behind.
- Consumer Mindset Is Real
Today’s wellness consumers can be walking contradictions: meditating in the morning, calorie-tracking by lunch, detoxing on Monday and burning out by Friday. This new, paradoxical mindset reflects the wider pressures of modern life. As wellness professionals, we must meet people where they are, offering support that bridges extremes and cultivates balance.
- The Sauna Market Is Booming!
With a projected 7.43% growth rate and a $135 billion valuation in 2024, the sauna market is heating up, literally and financially. This trend is driven by demand for relaxation, detoxification, and holistic healing. Whether it’s infrared, traditional, or social sauna experiences, now is the time for spas and wellness centres to innovate and invest.
- Reimagining Wellness Through the Six Pillars
Physical, mental, emotional, spiritual, social, and environmental health… these are the six essential pillars of wellness. Christina Clinton, the Chair of the Global Wellness for Children Initiative emphasised that true wellbeing is not one-dimensional. Services, programs, and environments must nurture the whole human experience, not just offer a temporary escape.
- A Silent Crisis Among Youth
In one of the sessions around education and how it is key to long-term health and wellness, an eye-opening insight came on screen: hospital admissions for eating disorders in the UK have increased by 90% in the last five years, and by 128% in boys and young men. Self-harm among children aged 8–15 is up 22%, and suicide rates in 12–19-year-olds have risen significantly. The message is loud and clear: we cannot wait to act. The industry has a duty of care to educate, support, and intervene early.
- From ‘I’ to ‘We’: Wellness as a Collective Responsibility
“When ‘I’ is replaced by ‘we’, even illness becomes wellness.” This is what Christina said during her keynote, and it really stayed with me. Collaboration, compassion, and community-based wellness strategies must take centre stage in everything we do.
- Food Disassociation: A Modern Disconnection
An alarming trend: many young people are increasingly disassociated from food. Ultra-processed diets, screen distractions, and misinformation have contributed to rising eating disorders. The industry must pivot toward mindful eating education, reconnecting individuals with nourishment as a source of healing, not harm.
- Wellness Starts with Us: The Inner Circle of Staff & Teams
During a breakout session with Francesca Rowland (The Calcot Collection), Victoria Rickett (Grantley Hall) and Laura Sheridan (Champneys Spa), they spoke about challenges like staff retention, talent management and revenue pressures. Burnout were central topics too. I learnt that leadership isn’t just about strategy; it’s about cultivating a culture of care and sustainability for your team. Because a burnt-out team can’t deliver wellbeing to others!
- Leadership Matters More Than Ever — And It Looks Different Now
There’s no one-size-fits-all anymore said Fabienne Lindholm, a leader in Spa & Hospitality. She unpacked a diverse leadership landscape, including:
- Servant Leadership – leading with empathy and service
- Autocratic Leadership – fast, but potentially limiting
- Inclusive Leadership – welcoming diverse voices
- Transformational Leadership – driving big-picture change
- Authentic Leadership – rooted in transparency and integrity
- Visionary Leadership – shaping future trends
- Coaching Leadership – empowering growth through mentorship
- Prevention Is the New Prescription
The final and perhaps most crucial takeaway: we must move from treatment to prevention. It’s not enough to offer short-term fixes. Spa Life UK made a passionate call for proactive, preventative care, starting as early as childhood. Whether through education, outreach, or inclusive programming, the industry must step up and become a beacon for sustainable health.