British women really are fashion victims when it comes to their feet. 77% hang on to shoes that are uncomfortable and 62% admit to buying footwear in the knowledge that they will suffer for the style.
Our actions and attitudes are strangely out of step, because we also claim to care about comfort, 82% put it first on the factors that influence their choice, ahead of price 67%, colour 48% and heel height 40%.
This wrong-footed paradox has emerged from research for SlimSoles®, the soft and discreet odour-control insole made specifically for women by Odor-Eaters®.
The poll also confirmed our fondness for footwear, revealing that the average British woman owns a toe-curling 26 pairs of shoes, boots, trainers and sandals. It's no surprise, that we're so protective of our footwear, especially when 1 in 10 of us have a shoe collection worth £500.
Curiously, although women are clearly spoilt for choice when it comes to what footwear to wear, nine out of ten admit to putting on the same pair two days in a row, despite expert advice that we should always alternate footwear to ensure it has plenty of time to dry out between outings. Instead, by wearing the same pair of shoes, we are not only ruining the conditions of our shoes, but also increasing the chance of experiencing foot-odour.
Spokesperson for Odor-Eaters SlimSoles and leading podiatrist Michael O'Neill explains "There are more sweat glands per square inch on your feet than on any other part of the body, even underarms. Your feet can produce as much as half a pint of sweat in a single day, so you are really asking for trouble if you don't let footwear dry out properly."
"The damp dark conditions you find inside so many shoes provide a perfect breeding ground for the bacteria responsible for unpleasant odours. All that excess moisture will also promote athlete's foot and other nasty fungal infections."
Michael O'Neill adds "A lot of things can increase the risk of sweaty, smelly feet. Other factors include stress, standing for long hours and hormonal changes, which is why it can be more of an issue during pregnancy."
The new poll also found that British women are not fans of shoes made from fabric, 69% don't care whether they wear plastic or leather, which could also add to nasty niffs as synthetic materials encourage sweating and foot odour.
More than half of the women questioned by the Odor-Eaters SlimSoles research said they worry about foot odour and 57% admitted to experiencing odour issues. Perhaps not surprisingly, 75% report that problems spike in spring and summer, when the weather is warmer.
That's why Odor-Eaters®, the UK's number one brand for tackling foot odour and wetness, have launched SlimSoles®.
Odor-Eaters SlimSoles® are thin, soft and discreet insoles specifically designed for women. They provide a perfect fit with fashion footwear with all the power of Odor-Eaters to guard against foot odour and wetness.
Fragrance free, SlimSoles provide fresh foot confidence all day long with Odor-Eaters unique Triple-Protection Technology. Activated charcoal, which traps in odour molecules within its' surface to neutralise odours. Insta-Fresh® technology provides an immediate defence against sweat acids that release odour. A powerful anti-bacterial fights odour-causing bacteria.
Odor-Eaters SlimSoles are available from key stockists, including Boots, Tesco, ASDA & Superdrug with an RRP of £4.00.
Try Slimsoles® by Odour-Eaters®