WOMEN WASTE £650m* ON CLOTHES THAT ARE TOO SMALL
British women waste up to £650 million buying summer outfits which do not fit because they refuse to admit they have put on weight over the winter, new research claims.
Many admit they are 'in denial' about the extra pounds they have gained and are determined to buy skimpy outfits for the hot weather in a smaller dress size.
Others buy skirts and tops in a smaller size because it acts as an incentive to lose weight in time for work and holidays when the sun shines, said the study by Special K.
But it means one in four women are spending £50-£100 on clothes which stay in the wardrobe because they do not fit and one in five spend even more than that.
And for those that do wear them, 19 per cent admit they end up squeezing themselves into such outfits anyway, even if it means displaying so-called muffin tops and bingo wings, the figures show.
Special K nicknamed the estimated £650 million of wasted fashion buys 'Seasonal Wardrobe Syndrome'.
It explains why, every summer, so many British women appear to be bursting out of outfits which are clearly too small for them.
In a survey of 1,000 adult women, Special K found ...
- the average female sets themselves a target of losing half a stone or more for the summer.
- more than half of all women (54 per cent) admit they will diet to get into their summer clothes from last year rather than move up a size.
- almost one in five (19 per cent) will squeeze into their skimpy tops and shorts even though they admit they may not quite fit.
- 26 per cent of women are too embarrassed to buy bigger clothes rising to 42 per cent of younger females, aged 16-29.
- almost half (46 per cent) of all ages are determined to slim down to fit last year's wardrobe. More than four in ten (43 per cent) are so embarrassed they lie about their dress size to friends and family.
Laura Keay, from Special K said: "The good weather at the moment is often the spark for a wave of summer dieting by British women, we found.
"Women do not want to buy a new summer wardrobe because it means they are admitting they cannot fit into last year's so they either lose weight or feel the squeeze.
"And this year, unlike others, financial reasons are also a major factor behind Seasonal Wardrobe Syndrome. So it is even more important to be able to wear last year's clothes."
Muffin tops - the bit of flabby flesh hanging over a waistband - was identified as the physical feature women are most likely to find embarrassing about their bodies in the summer.
Over six in ten (62 per cent) say the summer is the season they most worry about their appearance.
But it is not a case of British women wanting to be super skinny - more than half (52 per cent) say their ideal dress size is actually a 12 or 14.
The results also suggest that women are both honest and self-conscious about their weight - 74 per cent diet because of what they see in the mirror, only 35 per cent are influenced by comments from their partner for instance, though this rises to 50 per cent of the under 30s.
Nearly four in ten (38 per cent) slim specifically to get into smaller size clothes though 70 per cent say that feeling better about themselves is also a motivational factor.
Again, younger women are more likely to slim because of fashion issues while older women are more likely to do so for reasons of health and happiness, said the survey.
- Ends -
For further information please contact Louise Davies or Alison Last in the Kellogg’s press office on 0161 869 5500.
Notes to Editor
*There are 20 million women in the UK and over one year (one summer); 4 million of those spent £100 (£400m) and £5 million waste £50 (£250m) = £650m.
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