London - There may be a squeeze on incomes, but nothing it seems quenches a woman’s desire for a new handbag.
Research by consumer analysts Mintel showed that half of the UK’s female population bought at least one handbag last year, which equates to 13.5 million nationwide. Sales rose 11 percent annually to top £1.2-billion.
Almost four in ten women in the younger age groups – from 16 to 34 – think the bags are a more important item to purchase than everyday essentials such as underwear.
Tamara Sender, senior fashion analyst at Mintel, said: “While consumers have become more prudent with their money as a result of the recession, women have continued to spend on fashion items, with handbags the main driver of sales.”
But it’s not just women in love with handbags, with nearly one in ten men saying they had bought a “manbag” last year. - Daily Mail