What’s trending?

Starting Jan. 1, gym goers in Shanghai will have a seven-day “cooling-off” period after paying up for membership, during which they can withdraw and get a full refund under certain conditions. The hashtag #seven-day-cooling-off-period-will-be-given-when-getting-a-gym-membership-card-in-Shanghai# has been viewed over 170 million times on Weibo.

What’s the story?

Issued by sports authorities in Shanghai and the Shanghai Fitness and Bodybuilding Association on Monday, the new regulation will require over 400 fitness clubs in the city to provide consumers with a seven-day “cooling-off” period from the day after the contract is signed.

Shanghai government officials say the new regulation will reduce impulse spending and the buyer’s remorse that sometimes follows, resulting from excessive marketing in the fitness industry. According to market analysis firm Statista, in 2020 China’s gym market was worth up to $6.6 billion annually.

What are people saying online?

Some Chinese social media users believe that seven days isn’t long enough. One Weibo user said “I think people are the most motivated during the first seven days.”

Others were more focused on the policy itself, and said such a period was necessary. “This is fantastic. Last time when I applied for a membership card, I only went there once,” read one popular comment.

People on the internet also related the news to a similarly trending 30-day “cooling-off” period for divorce. That policy says that within 30 days of filing for divorce, either party may change his or her mind, in which case the divorce would be revoked. The topics of free choice in marriage and domestic violence have sparked strong exchanges of views on Chinese social media.

One comment read that “this (gym cooling-off period) is great but a “cooling-off’ period for getting married would be better.”