Poll reveals ‘men love shopping as much as women’

Disability charity Scope commissioned a revealing poll into men and women's shopping habits as part of a celebrity-backed bid to get people to donate one million clothes to its charity shops and help make this a better place for disabled people.

Actress Lynda Bellingham – who's fronting Scope's Great Donate - one month, one million items challenge said – "this confirms that men love shopping as much as women".

The poll set about quizzing consumers who had bought clothes but then never worn them.

89% of men have items of unworn clothing

Of men questioned, 89% admitted to having anything from one to more than fifteen items of untouched clothing in their own homes. By comparison, 94% of women in the survey confessed to the same, with 39% of women holding on to six or more unworn items.

The poll, carried out by Opinium, found men had:

• bought clothes for special occasions that never happened
• were convinced into buying clothes they didn't really want - perhaps by a partner
• and even, shopped for garments they hoped to slim into.

Nearly one in four men also confessed to being guilty of impulse buying when out spending.

Men also proved they were as drawn in by sales as women were, with 40% admitting to buying clothes just because they were reduced in price or cheap.

The poll aims to highlight the number of unworn clothes and accessories both men and women have at home to get people thinking about what they could donate to Scope from their own closets.

One month, one million items for charity shops

This July, Scope has teamed up Lynda Bellingham to launch 'One month, One million items' and encourage people to donate their clothes to the charity's 250 high-street shops. All money raised will support Scope's work to make this country a better place for disabled people and their families.

Lynda said, "Men obviously love shopping as much as women - it's official. The evidence from the polling is clear – we all have clothes we probably won't ever wear, so should consider donating them to Scope this month.

"I would urge everyone to take a long, hard look through their own wardrobes and think about what they could take to their local Scope shop.

"All money raised from donated items will help Scope continue its important work with disabled people and their families."

Andrew Adair, Director of Retail at Scope, added, "Scope's Great Donate - one month, one million items challenge is not only an excuse to have a de-clutter at home, but it is a brilliant excuse to support a good cause.

"We are all guilty of buying clothes on a whim and then realising we don't like them as much as we thought we did – however, your idea of a nightmare outfit could prove to be someone else's dream look."

Why do men buy clothes that they never wear?

Fashion expert Marcus Jaye is Creative Director of the online men's style magazine TheChicGeek.co.uk. He thinks there is always a 'fantasy element' to shopping, with men often buying for the man they want to be.

He said, "There's an element of confidence here. Guys are confident enough to buy the clothes, but not confident enough to wear them. It all becomes a little too real when they get the clothes and doubts start to creep in - if in doubt, they don't wear them.

"Men's fashion has become much more experimental and challenging. The shops present it so well, with the window displays and model images, that men are lured into thinking they can replicate that. Once home and out of those surroundings everything feels different.

"Guys don't want to stand out the way that girls do. Guys don't want to give their friends anything to rib them about. Guys also aren't into all that trying on, buying, taking back, trying more on cycle that many women enjoy. They just put it down to a mistake and forget about it."

Craig Evry, 34, from Oxford loves shopping and often finds himself following trends, then regretting his purchases once he gets home.

He said, "I'm actually pretty good when it comes to shopping and buying exactly what I need these days, but in the past I've been guilty of buying clothes on a whim or just because I'd seen something similar in a magazine, or being worn by a celebrity.

"I think men are just as bad as women when it comes to shopping and we all buy clothes for the wrong reasons. I remember buying a David Beckham-style sarong in a moment of madness once – I wore it once, but needless to say it never saw the light of day again."