No recession in women consumptionRecession? What recession?Research into the shopping habits of Britain’s women has found that spending on clothes, gym memberships and holidays has recovered over the past six months and is now higher than before the credit crunch.The research, by Post Office Financial Services, also found that millions of women are quietly borrowing from relatives to maintain their spending, in what it says is an attempt to uphold an image and avoid potential redundancy.Consumer spending psychologist Donna Dawson says:“What we are seeing in the shopping habits of these women is not escapism or avoidance of the truth―it is actually more shrewd and calculated than that.When the economy is insecure, people and jobs can fall with it, and so these women have gone into 'survival mode',polishing up their images to ensure their economic and emotional survival.Also, a woman knows that investing in herself is the best way to boost self-confidence, especially in troubled times,”Sophie Stringer, a 28-year-old freelance researcher for a non-profit organisation,has continued to buy smart clothes during the recession as she believes it is important to look your best when "you are your only representative”.She has also recently joined a gym for the first time in her life to keep herself fit and healthy, as sick days are a no-no when you’re not permanent staff.
