How long have you waited outside the fitting room?
The waiting game, that all it seems to be when the other half goes shopping.
Men are increasingly supportive when it comes to shopping with their partner, seeing it as a way of making them happy and spending quality time together, according to a survey by Lakeside Shopping Centre.
However, when it comes to spending the equivalent of over a day per year waiting patiently outside shopping centre changing rooms, men turn to tried and tested entertainment to keep them busy.
Lakeside Shopping Centre conducted a survey of 2,000 men and women aged 25-45, to find out how they feel about shopping with their partners.
The survey findings reveal that 46 per cent of men secretly enjoy the experience, and another 46 per cent admitted they sometimes volunteered to come along. 68 per cent said they did it because they believed it would make their partners happy, and a 33 per cent also said it was their way of spending time together. These findings suggest that the traditional image of reluctant men being dragged round the shops against their will is no longer accurate.
Standing around outside changing rooms for an average of 30 minutes per shopping trip could, however, be a step too far. The survey found that 47 per cent head for the latest football scores on their mobile phones and 44 per cent on the other hand turn to Facebook.
Paul Lancaster, general manager of Lakeside, comments: “It’s encouraging to see how many men are happy to go shopping just to put a smile on their partner’s face and spend time together. We see many couples walk through the doors at Lakeside together and this survey proves that the men have not been brought here against their will and may, in fact, be enjoying themselves.”
Top 5 things men do to pass the time outside changing rooms:
1. Check the football scores on their phone
2. Browse Facebook
3. Eat or drink
4. Call a mate
5. Wait patiently