Women's Changing Lifestyles: What Women Want? - Ireland - January 2008

Table of Contents

• Introduction
• Key themes in the market
• Definition
• Abbreviations
• Insights and Opportunities
• Struggling with the work/life balance
• Shopping as a leisure activity to be enjoyed with friends
• Women and saving: translate aims into action
• Women and pensions: a crisis in waiting
• Lifestyle Sector in Brief
• Sisters are doing it for themselves
• Sector Environment
• Key points
• Marriage/motherhood
  • Figure 1: Average age at marriage, men and women, NI AND RoI, 2000-05
  • Figure 2: Average age at birth of first child, NI and RoI, 1991-2005
• Employment
• NI
  • Figure 3: Number of persons employed and type of employment, by gender, NI, 2007
• RoI
  • Figure 4: Number of persons (in thousands) employed by gender, RoI, 1999-2007
  • Figure 5: Full-time/part-time division of employees by gender, NI, 2007
• Occupations
• Women dominate administrative, clerical and personal service positions in NI
  • Figure 6: Persons in employment by occupation, by gender, NI, 2007
  • Figure 7: Persons in employment by occupation, by gender RoI, 2007
• Earnings
• NI pay gap narrowing
  • Figure 8: Gross annual earnings for full-time employees by gender, NI, April 2006 and April 2007
  • Figure 9: Women' s income as a percentage of men' s income by age, RoI, 2005
• Women outsmart the men
• NI
  • Figure 10: Qualifications on leaving school, NI, 2005/06
  • Figure 11: Participation in universities and further education colleges, NI, 2005/06
• RoI
  • Figure 12: Third level education by gender, RoI, 2006
  • Figure 13: Highest level of education completed by gender, RoI, 2007
• Business/entrepreneurship
  • Figure 14: Type of employment by gender, NI, 2005
• NI women unlikely to be entrepreneurs
• Political involvement/public appointments
• Severe under-representation of women in politics and public life in NI
  • Figure 15: Representation of women in NI assembly, 2007
  • Figure 16: Percentage of public appointments held by women, NI, 1985-2005
• Industry Opinion on NI women' s political under-representation
• RoI political deficit
  • Figure 17: Political representation by gender, RoI, 2007
  • Figure 18: Political representation of women, RoI, 1987-2007
• Comparative Context
• Key points
• Irish women as international citizens - comparing concerns
• Financial anxieties are high -- but failing to spur action on pensions
  • Figure 19: Percentage of women that have financial concerns/worries, NI and RoI/GB, 2006/07
• Comparing financial goals/objectives
• Irish women live for the day -- but live to worry about it later
  • Figure 20: Percentage of women aiming to pay off mortgage/pay off some of outstanding mortgage as a finance-related goal, NI and RoI/GB, 2006 & 2007
  • Figure 21: Percentage of women aiming to get out of debt (excl. Mortgage)/pay off a credit card or loan as a finance-related goal, NI and RoI/GB, 2006 & 2007
• Comparative attitudes: personal appearance
• At face value
  • Figure 22: Agreement with selected statements relating to personal appearance, NI & RoI/European comparison, 2006
• Women and their Families
• Key points
• Family and kids not the be-all and end-all
• Young women have many paths to choose from
  • Figure 23: Agreement with "having a family and kids is important to me", by age, NI & RoI, July 2007
• Lingering adherence to traditional/conservative values
  • Figure 24: Agreement with "It makes sense to live with a partner before getting married", by age, NI & RoI, July 2007
• Most manage to balance job/family life, but 25-44 the most challenging period
  • Figure 25: Agreement with "It' s a struggle to balance a job and family life", by age, NI & RoI, July 2007
• Majority favour working over being a full-time mum
  • Figure 26: Agreement with "I would rather be a stay-at-home mum than go to work", by age, NI & RoI, July 2007
• Grass is always greener
• Women and their Careers
• Key points
• A job is more than just a job
  • Figure 27: Agreement with "My job is important to me: it gives me a sense of self-worth/confidence", by age, NI & RoI, July 2007
• Success not measured in pounds or euros
  • Figure 28: Percentage agreeing that "money is the best measure of success", by age, NI & RoI, 2006
• Women and Finances -- Product Ownership
• Key points
• Ownership/management of financial products: Credit Cards
  • Figure 29: Penetration of credit cards, by gender, NI & RoI, 2004 and 2006
• Credit card behaviour
• Ownership/management of financial products: Deposit Savings Accounts
  • Figure 30: Ownership of deposit savings account, by gender, NI & RoI, 2006
• Ownership of financial products: Mortgages
  • Figure 31: Ownership of mortgages, by gender, NI & RoI, 2004 & 2006
• Ownership of financial products: Pensions
  • Figure 32: Pension type, by gender, NI, 2006
  • Figure 33: Pension type, by gender, RoI, 2006
• Women and Finances -- Financial Outlook
• Key points
• Finances for the future
  • Figure 34: Percentage agreement with the statement, "financial security after retirement is your own responsibility", by gender, NI & RoI, 2006
  • Figure 35: Agreement with "My partner takes charge of financial matters", by age, NI & RoI, July 2007
• Women' s financial concerns
  • Figure 36: Percentage agreeing that "the amount of debt I have is a concern", by gender, NI & RoI, 2006
  • Figure 37: Percentage agreeing with selected savings preferences-related statements, by gender, NI & RoI, 2006
• Women and Finances -- Saving Priorities
• Key points
• Savings priorities: NI women vs NI men
  • Figure 38: Top ten things people are saving for, by gender, RoI & NI, 2006
• Savings priorities: RoI women vs RoI men
• Savings priorities: NI women vs RoI women
• Women and Finances -- Spending Priorities
• Key points
  • Figure 39: Spending priorities, status symbols, by gender, NI and RoI, 2006
  • Figure 40: Spending priorities, nesting purchases, by gender, NI and RoI, 2006
• Women and Shopping
• Key points
• Fashion and frugality
  • Figure 41: Shopping preferences (buying behaviour) by gender, NI, July 2007
  • Figure 42: Shopping preferences (buying behaviour) by gender, RoI, July 2007
  • Figure 43: Agreement with selected statements relating to personal appearance, NI & RoI, 2006
  • Figure 44: Percentage agreeing with statement "a designer label improves a person' s image", NI & RoI, 2002-06
• Women' s Buying Motivations
• Key Points
• Age and wisdom in the shopping arena
  • Figure 45: Percentage agreeing with statement, "It' s worth paying extra for quality", by age, RoI & NI, 2006
• Women and Travel
• Key points
  • Figure 46: Consumers taking at least one holiday in the last 12 months by gender, NI and RoI, 2004 and 2006
• Women and Health/Fitness
• Key points
• NI' s guilty sinners
  • Figure 47: Agreement with "I regularly feel guilty about lack of exercise/diet", by age, NI & RoI, July 2007
• Women buck exercise myth
  • Figure 48: Proportion of consumers taking part in exercise by gender, NI and RoI, 2006
  • Figure 49: Proportion of consumers taking part in various exercise/fitness activities by gender, NI and RoI, 2006
• Women and Leisure
• Key points
• Pub vs restaurants
  • Figure 50: Socialising-based leisure activities, by gender, NI & RoI, 2007
• Women more family-oriented in choice of leisure activity
  • Figure 51: Family-oriented leisure activities, by gender, NI & RoI, 2007
• Watchers and doers
  • Figure 52: Physical activity-based leisure activities, by gender, NI & RoI, 2007
• Long walks and sandy beaches -- not a male favourite
  • Figure 53: Nature-based leisure activities, by gender, NI & RoI, 2007
  • Figure 54: Culture-based leisure activities, by gender, NI & RoI, 2007
• RoI women influenced by money, NI women like to plan
  • Figure 55: Attitudes to leisure, by gender, NI & RoI, 2007
• Nights Out and Drinking
• Key points
• Restaurants the venue of choice for women
  • Figure 56: Venues for socialising, by gender, NI & RoI, 2007
• Splashing out on a restaurant enjoyed by all ages and social backgrounds
  • Figure 57: Percentage agreeing with statement, "I enjoy splashing out in a restaurant", by age, RoI & NI, 2006Figure 58: Percentage agreeing with statement, "I enjoy splashing out in a restaurant", by socio-economic background, RoI & NI, 2006
• Pubs losing their appeal for women
  • Figure 59: Percentage agreeing "I really enjoy a night out at the pub", by gender, NI & RoI, 2004 & 2006
  • Figure 60: Percentage agreement with statement "most of my drinking is done at home", by gender, NI & RoI, 2004 & 2006
  • Figure 61: Percentage agreeing with statement, "I don' t usually go out much", by gender, RoI & NI, 2007
  • Figure 62: Where consumers drink, by gender, RoI & NI, 2006
  • Figure 63: Percentage agreement with selected statements related to restrictions on socialising, NI & RoI, 2007
• Who are the good time girls?
  • Figure 64: Percentage agreement with statement, "I don' t need alcohol to have a good time", by gender, NI & RoI, 2007
• Women and Beauty
• Key points
• Youthful looks and sex appeal
  • Figure 65: Agreement with selected statements relating to personal appearance, NI & RoI, 2006
  • Figure 66: Agreement with "I would rather be curvy like Marilyn Monroe than skinny like kate moss", by age, NI & RoI, July 2007
• Younger women (aged 15-24) the biggest spenders on cosmetics
  • Figure 67: Expenditure on cosmetics (€ per month), by age, NI, 2006
  • Figure 68: Expenditure on cosmetics (€ per month), by age, RoI, 2006
• Temptation of expensive perfumes strongest for younger women (aged 15-24)
  • Figure 69: Percentage agreeing with statement, "I can' t resist expensive perfumes", by age, NI & RoI, 2006Figure 70: Percentage agreeing with statement, "I can' t resist expensive perfumes", by socio-economic status, RoI and NI, 2006
• Valuable jewellery primarily a feature of NI women
  • Figure 71: Percentage agreeing with statement, "I often wear valuable jewellery", by age, RoI & NI, 2006Figure 72: Percentage agreeing with statement, "I often wear valuable jewellery", by socio-economic status, RoI & NI, 2006
• Women and the Media
• Key points
• Around half of all women are regular newspaper readers
  • Figure 73: Agreement with "I read a newspaper most days", NI AND RoI, 2006
• NI' s square eyes
  • Figure 74: Agreement with selected general television-related statements, NI and RoI, 2006
• TV + shopping = bad idea
  • Figure 75: Agreement with selected television technology-related statements, NI and RoI, 2006
  • Figure 76: Attitudes to selected radio-related statements, NI and RoI, 2006
• Women and the Internet
• Key points
• Digital equality
  • Figure 77: Adult population who have used the internet in the last 12 months by gender, NI and RoI, 2006
• Online price comparison is a man' s game
  • Figure 78: Attitudes to selected internet-related statements, NI and RoI, 2006
• Reluctance among women to buy clothes online
  • Figure 79: Proportion of consumers that agree "I am wary of buying clothes online" by gender, NI, July 2007Figure 80: Proportion of consumers that agree "I am wary of buying clothes online" by gender, RoI, July 2007
• Opportunity exists to grow online sales
  • Figure 81: Percentage agreeing with statement "I would do my shopping by Internet if there was a safe way to pay", NI & RoI, 2002-06
• Advertising to Women
• Key points
• Male offensive
  • Figure 82: Agreement with "I often notice advertisements on radio", NI and RoI, 2006
• Not in front of the children
  • Figure 83: Worries, NI and RoI, 2006Figure 84: Agreement with selected advertising-related statements, NI and RoI, 2006
• Consumer Target Groups
• Key points
• NI
  • Figure 85: Consumer typologies relating to women' s changing lifestyles, NI, July 2007
• Past Caring: 38% of NI consumers
• Career Conscious: 25% of NI consumers
• Practical Home Birds: 19% of NI consumers
• Guilty Conscience: 18% of NI consumers
• RoI
  • Figure 86: Consumer typologies relating to women' s changing lifestyles, RoI, July 2007
• Not Too Bothered: 44% of RoI consumers
• Independent Career Girls: 21% of RoI consumers
• Stay-at-home Mums: 19% of RoI consumers
• Best of Both Worlds: 16% of RoI consumers
• Appendix
• Sector environment
• Marital status, RoI
  • Figure 87: Marital status groups by gender, RoI, 2006
• Employment/unemployment
  • Figure 88: Number of persons (in thousands) unemployed by gender, RoI, 1999-2007
  • Figure 89: Employment status by gender, RoI, 2006
  • Figure 90: Percentage of females within various employment status categories, RoI, 2006
  • Figure 91: Employment rate by gender, RoI, 1997-2007
• Gender pay divide
  • Figure 92: Median full-time women' s hourly earnings (excl. overtime) as a percentage of men' s hourly earnings, 1997-2007
  • Figure 93: Average weekly earning (€) of industrial workers by gender, RoI, 1998-2006
  • Figure 94: Percentage of men/women with earnings (income liable for social insurance) by income band, RoI, 2005
  • Figure 95: Women' s income as a percentage of men' s income by age, RoI, 2005
• Economic activity/inactivity
  • Figure 96: Number of persons classified as students, RoI, 1999-2007
  • Figure 97: Reasons for economic inactivity by gender, NI, 2005
  • Figure 98: Number of persons classified as being "on home duties", RoI, 1999-2007
  • Figure 99: Number of retired persons, RoI, 1999-2007
• Comparative Context
  • Figure 100: Employment rate international comparison, 2006
  • Figure 101: Percentage of labour force unemployed, women, 2006
  • Figure 102: Gender pay gap, international comparison, 2005
  • Figure 103: Median gross weekly earnings by gender, NI and UK, April 2007Figure 104: At-risk-of-poverty rate for women, international comparison, 2005Figure 105: Percentage female representation in national parliaments, 2007
  • Figure 106: Percentage of women concerned about job security, international comparison, 2006/07
  • Figure 107: Percentage of women concerned about retirement issues, international comparison, 2006/07
  • Figure 108: Percentage women agreeing "with a credit card I can buy the sort of things I couldn' t normally afford", international comparison, 2005-07
  • Figure 109: Percentage ofwomen agreeing "I tend to spend money without thinking", international comparison, 2006/07
  • Figure 110: Percentage of women concerned about not having enough time for themselves, international comparison, 2006/07Figure 111: Percentage agreeing with statement "it is important to me to look well dressed", RoI, NI & GB, 2006/07
  • Figure 112: Percentage agreeing with statement "I have a very good sense of style", RoI, NI & GB, 2006/07Figure 113: Percentage agreeing with statement "I really enjoy shopping for clothes", RoI, NI & GB, 2006/2007
  • Figure 114: Percentage agreeing with statement "I like to keep up with the latest fashions", RoI, NI & GB, 2006/2007
• What will women be buying?
  • Figure 115: Spending priorities by gender, NI AND RoI, 2006
  • Figure 116: Agreement with "I am willing to work overtime/longer hours for more money", by age, NI & RoI, July 2007
  • Figure 117: Percentage agreeing that "I work longer hours than I should", NI AND RoI, 2006
  • Figure 118: Average number of hours worked per week by gender, NI and RoI, 1998-2005
  • Figure 119: Percentage agreeing with selected credit card-related statements by gender, NI & RoI, 2006Figure 120: How credit card balance paid, by gender, NI & RoI, 2006
  • Figure 121: Percentage agreeing with selected "attitudes to savings" statements, by gender, NI & RoI, 2006Figure 122: Percentage agreeing with selected savings behaviour-related statements, by gender, NI & RoI, 2006
  • Figure 123: Percentage agreeing that "my money does not go as far as it used to", by gender, NI & RoI, 2006Figure 124: Spending priorities, controlling finances, by gender, NI AND RoI, 2006
• Women and shopping
  • Figure 125: Shopping as a leisure activity, by gender, NI & RoI, 2007
  • Figure 126: Shopping preferences (shopping as an activity) by gender, NI, July 2007
  • Figure 127: Shopping preferences (shopping as an activity) by gender, RoI, July 2007
  • Figure 128: Percentage agreeing with statement "I like to keep up with the latest fashions", NI & RoI, 2002-06
  • Figure 129: Percentage agreeing with statement "I really enjoy any kind of shopping", NI & RoI, 2002-06Figure 130: Percentage agreeing with statement "I really enjoy shopping for clothes", NI & RoI, 2002-06
  • Figure 131: Agreement with "I tend to buy clothes less often but spend more on them", by age, NI & RoI, July 2007Figure 132: Agreement with "I tend to buy a lot of cheap clothes", by age, NI & RoI, July 2007
  • Figure 133: Percentage agreeing with statement, "I buy goods produced by my own country whenever I can", by age, RoI, 2006
  • Figure 134: Percentage agreeing with statement, "I buy goods produced by my own country whenever I can", by socio-economic status, RoI, 2006
  • Figure 135: Percentage agreeing with statement, "I enjoy owning good quality things", by age, RoI & NI, 2006Figure 136: Percentage agreeing with statement, "I enjoy owning good quality things", by socio-economic status, RoI & NI, 2006
  • Figure 137: Percentage agreeing with statement "I enjoy owning good quality things", NI & RoI, 2003-06Figure 138: Percentage agreeing with statement, "It' s worth paying extra for quality", by socio-economic status, RoI & NI, 2006
  • Figure 139: Percentage agreeing that "sometimes I treat myself to something I don' t need", by age, NI & RoI, 2006Figure 140: Percentage agreeing that "sometimes I treat myself to something I don' t need ", by socio-economic background, RoI & NI, 2006
  • Figure 141: Percentage agreeing with statement "sometimes I treat myself to something I don' t need", NI & RoI, 2002-06Figure 142: Percentage agreeing with statement, "I am prepared to pay more for products that make my life easier", by age, RoI & NI, 2006
  • Figure 143: Percentage agreeing with statement, "I am prepared to pay more for products that make my life easier", by socio-economic status, RoI & NI, 2006Figure 144: Percentage agreeing with statement "I have a very good sense of style", NI & RoI, 2002-06
  • Figure 145: Percentage agreeing with statement "I like to stand out in a crowd", NI & RoI, 2002-06Figure 146: Selected retailers from which consumers are purchasing clothes, NI & RoI, 2007
  • Figure 147: Selected alternative sources from which consumers are purchasing clothes, NI & RoI, 2007Figure 148: Womenswear retail market, by value (millions of Euro), NI & RoI, 2001-07
  • Figure 149: Menswear retail market, by value (millions of EURO), NI & RoI, 2001-07Figure 150: Indexed growth in clothing market, NI & RoI, 2001-12
• Women and beauty
  • Figure 151: Penetration of colour cosmetics, NI, 2003 & 2006Figure 152: Penetration of colour cosmetics, RoI, 2003 & 2006
  • Figure 153: Agreement with selected statements relating to cosmetics, NI & RoI, 2006
  • Figure 154: Agreement with selected statements relating to cosmetics, NI & RoI/European comparison, 2006
  • Figure 155: Top leisure priorities, by gender, RoI & NI, 2005
  • Figure 156: Agreement with "I rarely notice the adverts in newspapers and magazines", NI and RoI, 2006
  • Figure 157: Attitudes to selected outdoor advertising-related statements, NI and RoI, 2006
• Concerns
  • Figure 158: Types of worry by gender, NI & RoI, 2006
  • Figure 159: Specific concerns of those who choose "financial matters" as a concern, by gender, NI & RoI, 2006
  • Figure 160: Specific concerns of those who choose "societal worries" as a concern, by gender, NI & RoI, 2006Figure 161: Specific concerns of those who choose "personal concerns" as a concern, by gender, NI & RoI, 2006
  • Figure 162: Specific concerns of those who choose "work-life issues" as a concern, by gender, NI & RoI, 2006
• IPSOS MORI data
  • Figure 163: Attitudes to personal lifestyle and attitudes, by demographics, NI, July 2007
  • Figure 164: Attitudes to personal lifestyle and attitudes, by demographics, NI, July 2007
  • Figure 165: Attitudes to personal lifestyle and attitudes, by demographics, NI, July 2007
  • Figure 166: Attitudes to personal lifestyle and attitudes, by demographics, RoI, July 2007
• TGI data
  • Figure 167: Lifestyle attitudes, NI, 2002-06
  • Figure 168: Lifestyle attitudes, RoI, 2002-06
  • Figure 169: Lifestyle attitudes, NI, 2006
  • Figure 170: Lifestyle attitudes, NI, 2002-06
  • Figure 171: Lifestyle attitudes, RoI, 2006
  • Figure 172: Lifestyle attitudes, RoI, 2006
• Typologies
• RoI
  • Figure 173: Consumer typologies relating to women' s changing lifestyles, RoI, July 2007
  • Figure 174: Consumer typologies relating to women' s changing lifestyles, by demographics, RoI, July 2007
• NI
  • Figure 175: Consumer typologies relating to women' s changing lifestyles, NI, July 2007
  • Figure 176: Consumer typologies relating to women' s changing lifestyles, by demographics, NI, July 2007