Marketing to Singles - UK - February 2005

SUMMARY

Figures from the General Household Survey show that in 2003, 37% of men over 16, and 41% ofwomen, were neither married nor cohabiting; in 1995 the comparable figures were 33% of men, and 37%of women.

Lifestyle dynamics contributing to this rise include: the continuing tendency to delay marriage;a rise in serial cohabitation (meaning that people may have several single periods during theirlives, in between periods of cohabitation and/or marriage); a rising divorce rate, and falling rateof remarriage; and a growing acceptance of childbirth outside marriage, leading to an increase inthe number of single mothers.

This unique report from Mintel uses exclusive consumer research and expert analysis to explorethe single consumers attitudes to life and living, highlighting ver real marketing opportunitiesfor your products and services. Use Mintels research to gain an insight into :

-- Singles attitudes to relationships

-- Singles and finances

-- Singles and their home life

-- Eating and cooking habits

-- Leisure time trends

-- Singles and their attitudes to the future

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Introduction

Abbreviations

Executive Summary

Singles on the increase

Financial and personal freedom

Blissful domesticity

Advantages outweigh disadvantages

...but dont ask if they are looking for a partner

Getting physical

What about the children?

Single relationships

On the look-out?

Financial polarity

Women worry more about finance...

...but are more content with living standards

Singles at home - nice to make your own decisions

DIY and repairs are more of a burden than housework

Single women do less housework - unless they have children

Control over in-home leisure - but out-of-home leisure can be tricky

The good and bad side of holidays as a single

Happy to be single?

What are the pros and cons?

• The Pros:
• The Cons:

Attitudes and Relationships

A rising number of singles in the population

• Figure 1: The number of single adults in the population, by marital status, 1991-2003

Does being alone mean living alone?

• Figure 2: Living arrangements - singles, by demographic sub-group, November/December 2004
• Figure 3: Living arrangements, by age, November/December 2004
• Young single men least likely to leave the nest
• Figure 4: Living arrangements - single men by demographic sub-group, November/December 2004
• Many single women are coping with children
• Figure 5: Living arrangements - single women, by demographic sub-group, November/December 2004
• Figure 6: Living arrangements of single men and women, by age, November/December 2004

Whats So Good About Being Single?

• Figure 7: Advantages of being single - singles, by gender, November/December 2004
• Women care more about the way their home looks
• Figure 8: Advantages of being single - women v men, November/December 2004
• Young singles are more concerned with money while the older group focuses on domestic issues
• Figure 9: Advantages of being single - singles, by age group, November/December 2004
• Figure 10: The five most popular advantages of being single, by age group, November/December2004
• It is those who have escaped that appreciate the absence of nagging
• Figure 11: Advantages of being single - singles, by marital status, November/December 2004
• Spinsters are the keenest on the homes
• Figure 12: Advantages of being single - singles, by gender and marital status, November/December2004
• Figure 13: The five most popular advantages of being single, by marital status and gender,November/December 2004
• Figure 14: Advantages of being single - singles, by living arrangements, November/December 2004
• Positive typologies
• Figure 15: Positive typologies of single adults, November/December 2004
• Money Monomaniacs (24% of sample)
• Slouchy Singles (21% of sample)
• Embedded (18% of sample)
• Happy A-Loaners (15% of sample)
• Singularly Discontent (22% of sample)
• Figure 16: Advantages of being single, by typology, November/December 2004
• Figure 17: Positive typologies - singles, by demographic sub-group, November/December 2004

And Whats Not So Good?

• Figure 18: Disadvantages of being single - singles, by gender, November/December 2004
• Its easier to say good things about being single
• Women more concerned about financial issues
• Figure 19: Disadvantages of being single - women v men, November/December 2004
• Figure 20: Disadvantages of being single - singles, by age group, November/December 2004
• Other peoples views can be very annoying
• Figure 21: The 5 most common disadvantages of being single - singles, by age, November/December2004
• Figure 22: Disadvantages of being single - singles, by marital status, November/December 2004
• Figure 23: Disadvantages of being single - singles, by gender and marital status,November/December 2004
• Spinsters have more complaints...
• ...except about sex
• Figure 24: The 5 most common disadvantages of being single - singles, by marital status andgender, November/December 2004
• Figure 25: Disadvantages of being single - singles, by living arrangements, November/December2004
• Negative typologies
• Figure 26: Negative typologies, November/December 2004
• Independent Singles (39% of sample)
• Financial Fears (16% of sample)
• Practical Woes (11% of sample)
• Leave Me Alone (19% of sample)
• Need Some Lovin (14% of sample)
• Figure 27: Advantages of being single, by typology, November/December 2004
• Figure 28: Negative typologies - singles, by demographic sub-group, November/December 2004

Singles relationships: The state of play

• Figure 29: Relationship status - singles, by gender, November/December 2004
• The Break-up Survivors
• Figure 30: Break-up Survivors - singles, by demographic sub-group, November/December 2004
• The committed singles
• Figure 31: Committed Singles, by demographic sub-group, November/December 2004
• Butterfly Singles
• Figure 32: Butterfly Singles, by demographic sub-group, November/December 2004
• Monastic Singles
• Figure 33: Monastic singles, by demographic sub-group, November/December 2004
• Figure 34: Advantages of being single - singles, by relationship status, November/December 2004
• Break-up Survivors find the most satisfaction in being single
• Figure 35: The most popular advantages of being single, by relationship status,November/December 2004
• Figure 36: Disadvantages of being single - singles, by relationship status, November/December2004
• But they also know what they are missing
• Figure 37: Most frequently mentioned disadvantages of being single - singles, by relationshipstatus, November/December 2004
• Who wants to stay single?
• Figure 38: Attitude to finding a partner - singles, by gender, November/December 2004
• Figure 39: Singles who would like a partner, by demographic sub-group, November/December 2004
• Figure 40: Singles who would like a partner, by gender and demographic sub-group,November/December 2004
• Women are the most set against new relationships
• Figure 41: Relationship-phobes, by demographic sub-group, November/December 2004
• Figure 42: Relationship-phobes, by gender and demographic sub-group, November/December 2004
• Figure 43: Advantages of being single - singles, by attitudes to relationships,November/December 2004
• Figure 44: Disadvantages of being single - singles, by attitudes to relationships,November/December 2004
• Figure 45: The most significant differences in the perceptions of the disadvantages of beingsingle - singles, by attitudes to relationships, November/December 2004
• Relationship Typologies
• Figure 46: Relationship typologies, November/December 2004
• Going Nowhere (22% of sample)
• No Commitments (22% of sample)
• Glad to be Single (23% of sample)
• Apathetic About Love (37% of sample)
• Picky Punters (10% of sample)
• Figure 47: Relationship typologies, by demographic sub-group, November/December 2004

Do singles and smug-marrieds aspire to the same ideals?

• Relationships
• Figure 48: Those agreeing that I think it is important to have a lasting relationship with onepartner - singles and married/cohabiting adults, by gender and age group, 2004
• Figure 49: Those agreeing that I think it is important to have a lasting relationship with onepartner- singles, by marital status and gender, 2004
• Attracting the opposite sex
• Figure 50: Those agreeing that It is important to be attractive to the opposite sex - singlesand married/cohabiting adults, by gender and age group, 2004
• Figure 51: Those agreeing that It is important to be attractive to the opposite sex - singles,by marital status and gender, 2004
• The importance of friendship
• Figure 52: Those agreeing that I like to have a circle of close friends who support me in hardtimes - singles and married/cohabiting adults, by gender and age group, 2004
• Figure 53: Those agreeing that I like to have a circle of close friends who support me in hardtimes - singles, by marital status and gender, 2004
• Figure 54: Those agreeing that I like to have a circle of close friends who support me in hardtimes - singles, by living arrangements, family status and gender, 2004
• Working lives
• Figure 55: Those agreeing that I look on my work as a career not a job - working adults, bymarital status, 2004
• Figure 56: Those agreeing that I want to get to top in my career - working adults, by maritalstatus, 2004
• The stress of everyday life
• Figure 57: Those agreeing that there are not enough hours in the day to do everything I wouldlike -- singles and married/cohabiting adults, by gender and age group, 2004
• Figure 58: Those agreeing that there are not enough hours in the day to do everything I wouldlike - singles, by living arrangements, family status and gender, 2004

The marketing perspective

• Finding partners
• Opportunities and strategies
• The question of children

Singles and Finance

• Figure 59: Financial prospects, by married and single adults aged 25-70

The financial advantages of being single

• Figure 60: Financial advantages of being single, by demographic sub-group, November/December2004
• Young single men enjoy being financially independent
• Figure 61: Financial advantages of being single, by gender and demographic sub-group,November/December 2004

The financial disadvantages of being single

• Single parents feel they have the hardest struggle
• Figure 62: Financial disadvantages of being single, by demographic sub-group, November/December2004
• Younger women are not so keen about supporting themselves
• Figure 63: Financial disadvantages of being single, by gender and demographic sub-group,November/December 2004

Satisfaction with standard of living

• Figure 64: Agreement/disagreement that I am perfectly happy with my standard of living -singles and married/cohabiting adults, by gender and age group, 2004
• Smug-marrieds feel better off than singles
• Figure 65: I am perfectly happy with my standard of living - singles and married/cohabitingadults, by gender and age group, 2004
• Divorce hurts womens pockets to a greater extent
• Figure 66: Agreement/disagreement that I am perfectly happy with my standard of living -singles, by marital status and gender, 2004
• Figure 67: Agreement/disagreement that I am perfectly happy with my standard of living -singles, by socio-economic group and gender, 2004
• Figure 68: Agreement/disagreement that I am perfectly happy with my standard of living -singles, by living arrangements, family status and gender, 2004

Managing money

• Women are better financial controllers
• Figure 69: Those agreeing that I am very good at managing money - singles andmarried/cohabiting adults, by gender and age group, 2004
• Figure 70: Those agreeing that I am very good at managing money - singles, by marital statusand gender, 2004
• Figure 71: Those agreeing that I am very good at managing money - singles, by socio-economicgroup and gender, 2004
• But men think they know more
• Figure 72: Agreement/disagreement that I feel fairly knowledgeable in the financial field -singles, by age group, socio-economic group and gender, 2004
• Figure 73: Those agreeing that I feel fairly knowledgeable in the financial field - singles,by marital status and gender, 2004

Financial products owned

• Figure 74: Financial products owned: Married and non-married adults, 2004
• Mortgages
• Figure 75: Those with a mortgage - singles, by demographic sub-group, 2004
• Life insurance
• Figure 76: Those with life insurance - singles, by demographic sub-group, 2004
• Pensions
• Figure 77: Those with a pension - singles, by demographic sub-group, 2004
• Figure 78: Life assurance and pensions - singles, by marital status, 2004
• Investment products
• Figure 79: Ownership of investment products - singles, by demographic sub-group, 2004
• Private health insurance
• Figure 80: Ownership of private health insurance - singles, by demographic sub-group, 2004
• Financial priorities
• Figure 81: Spending priorities for 2004, married and single adults, January 2004

The marketing perspective

Singles at Home

Home ownership

• Figure 82: Household tenure - married/cohabiting and single adults, 2004
• Figure 83: Home ownership v renting - married/cohabiting and single adults, 2004

Domestic advantages of being single

• Figure 84: Domestic advantages of being single, by demographic sub-group, November/December 2004
• Men start life afresh by revamping their home
• Figure 85: Domestic advantages of being single, by gender and demographic sub-group,November/December 2004
• Figure 86: Those that enjoy taking on decisions on appearance of home - singles, by maritalstatus, November/December 2004

Domestic disadvantages of being single

• Figure 87: Domestic disadvantages of being single, by demographic sub-group, November/December2004
• Figure 88: Domestic disadvantages to being single, by gender and demographic sub-group,November/December 2004

The daily grind

• Housework haters
• Figure 89: Attitudes to housework - singles and married/cohabiting adults, by gender and agegroup, 2004
• Figure 90: Those agreeing that I loathe housework - singles, by marital status and gender,2004
• Figure 91: Those agreeing that I loathe housework - singles, by socio-economic group andgender, 2004
• Figure 92: Those agreeing that I loathe housework - singles, by living arrangements, familystatus and gender, 2004
• Figure 93: Those agreeing that I cant bear untidiness - singles, by marital status andgender, 2004
• Figure 94: Those agreeing that I cant bear untidiness - singles, by living arrangements,family status and gender, 2004
• Whatever happened to new man?
• Figure 95: Time spent on housework - married/cohabiting and single men and women, 2004
• Figure 96: Those who spend a lot of time on tidying up, by married/cohabiting and single menand women, 2004
• Figure 97: Time spent on housework - married/cohabiting and single parents, 2004

Domestic appliances

• Figure 98: Ownership of household appliances - married/cohabiting and single adults, 2004
• Figure 99: Ownership of household appliances: Singles, by demographic sub-group, 2004

Home Entertainment?

• Figure 100: Those agreeing that I like spending a lot of my free time at home - singles andmarried/cohabiting adults, bgender and age group, 2004
• Men need to get out
• Figure 101: Those agreeing that I like spending a lot of my free time at home, by gender, 2004
• Figure 102: Those agreeing that I like spending a lot of my free time at home - singles, bymarital status and gender, 2004
• Figure 103: Those agreeing that I like spending a lot of my free time at home - singles, byliving arrangements, family status and gender, 2004

The marketing perspective

• Men an important target
• The housework issue

Eating and Cooking Habits

Eating what they like

• Figure 104: Food-related advantages and disadvantages to being single, by demographic sub-group,November/December 2004
• Figure 105: Food-related advantages and disadvantages to being single, by gender and demographicsub-group, November/December 2004

Singles as food connoisseurs?

• Figure 106: Those agreeing that I appreciate good food - singles and married/cohabitingadults, by gender and age group, 2004
• The class divide is evident

Attitudes to cooking

• Figure 107: Attitudes to cooking, by singles and married/cohabiting adults, March 2004
• Ready meals an essential part of life for singles
• Figure 108: Compares the usage of single and married adults of a variety of different foods

Healthy Eating

• Figure 109: Those agreeing that I consider my diet to be very healthy - singles andmarried/cohabiting adults, by gender and age group, 2004
• Figure 110: Those agreeing that I like to treat myself to foods that arent supposed to be goodfor you - singles and married/cohabiting adults, by gender and age group, 2004
• Figure 111: Attitudes to healthy eating - singles, by living arrangements, family status andgender, 2004

Takeaways and eating out

• Figure 112: Those agreeing that I like to eat take away food - singles and married/cohabitingadults, by gender and age group, 2004
• Figure 113: Those agreeing that I like to eat take away food - singles, by livingarrangements, family status and gender, 2004
• Singles more reluctant to visit restaurants
• Figure 114: Those agreeing that I enjoy splashing out on a meal in a restaurant - singles andmarried/cohabiting adults, by gender and age group, 2004
• Figure 115: Those agreeing that I enjoy splashing out on a meal in a restaurant singles bysocio-economic group and gender, 2004
• Figure 116: Those who eat out at restaurants - daytime and evening - married/cohabiting andsingle adults, by gender, 2004
• Figure 117: Those who eat out at restaurants - daytime and evening - singles, by demographicsub-group, 2004 1

The marketing perspective

Leisure

In-home leisure

• The battle for the remote control
• Figure 118: Leisure-related advantages of being single, by demographic sub-group,November/December 2004
• Figure 119: Leisure-related advantages of being single, by age, November/December 2004
• Figure 120: Leisure-related advantages of being single, by gender and demographic sub-group,November/December 2004
• Single men tend to be Innovators
• Figure 121: Attitudes to technology - married and single adults, by gender and age group, 2004
• Figure 122: Ownership of audio-visual appliances and home computers: married/cohabiting andsingle adults, 2004
• Figure 123: The variation in ownership of audio-visual appliances and home computers -married/cohabiting and single adults, 2004
• Figure 124: Ownership of audio-visual appliances and home computer - singles, by demographicsub-group, 2004
• Figure 125: Leisure activities on the Internet, by married and single adults, March 2004
• Figure 126: Leisure activities on the Internet - married and single adults, by gender, March2004

Out-of-home leisure

• Figure 127: Leisure-related disadvantage of being single, by demographic sub-group,November/December 2004
• Figure 128: Leisure-related disadvantage of being single, by gender and demographic sub-group,November/December 2004
• Acting on impulse
• Figure 129: Those agreeing that I often do things on the spur of the moment - singles andmarried/cohabiting adults, by gender and age group, 2004
• Figure 130: Those agreeing that I often do things on the spur of the moment - singles, by agegroup and gender, 2004
• Figure 131: Those agreeing that I often do things on the spur of the moment - singles, byliving arrangements, family status and gender, 2004
• Sport and exercise
• Figure 132: Those agreeing that I do some form of sport or exercise at least once a week -singles and married/cohabiting adults, by gender and age group, 2004
• Figure 133: Those agreeing that I do some form of sport or exercise at least once a week -singles, by age group, socio-economic group and gender, 2004
• Pub visiting - an alternative home?
• Figure 134: Those who drink in pubs at least once a week (daytime and evening) -married/cohabiting adults and singles, 2004
• Base: adults aged 25-70
• Figure 135: Those who drink in pubs at least once a week (daytime and evening), by gender, 2004
• Dancing the night away
• Figure 136: Those who visit nightclubs at least once month) - married/cohabiting adults andsingles, 2004
• Cultured singles
• Figure 137: Those who agree I consider myself interested in the arts - married/cohabitingadults and singles, by demographic sub-group, 2004
• Figure 138: Those who go to the theatre nowadays - married/cohabiting adults and singles, bydemographic sub-group, 2004
• Figure 139: Those who go to the theatre nowadays - married/cohabiting adults and singles, bygender and age group, 2004
• Figure 140: Those who go to classical/pop concerts nowadays - married/cohabiting adults andsingles, by gender and age group, 2004
• Figure 141: Those who go to art galleries nowadays - married/cohabiting adults and singles, bygender, 2004
• The Big Screen
• Figure 142: Those who have been to the cinema in the last month - married/cohabiting adults andsingles, 2004
• Figure 143: Number of visits to the cinema in the last month - married/cohabiting adults andsingles, by age, 2004

The marketing perspective

Holidays

• Figure 144: Holiday-related advantages and disadvantages to being single, by demographicsub-group, November/December 2004
• Figure 145: Holiday-related advantages and disadvantages to being single, by gender anddemographic sub-group, November/December 2004
• Figure 146: Those who have been on holiday in the last 12 months - married/cohabiting and singleadults, 2004
• Figure 147: Number of holidays in last 12 months - married/cohabiting and single adults, 2004
• Figure 148: Number of holidays in last 12 months -single adults, by demographic sub-group, 2004
• Figure 149: Elements of an enjoyable holiday, November 2003
• Women relax and sightsee while men party
• Figure 150: Elements of an enjoyable holiday - singles, by gender, November 2003
• Figure 151: Elements of an enjoyable holiday, differences, by gender and marital status,November 2003

The marketing perspective

The Future

Singles on the increase

• Figure 152: Projected adult population, by partnership status, England and Wales, 1996 and 2021

Happy as they are?

• Figure 153: Agreement that I am very happy with my life as it is - singles andmarried/cohabiting adults, by gender, 2004
• Figure 154: Agreement/disagreement that I am very happy with my life as it is - singles andmarried/cohabiting adults, by gender and age group, 2004
• Women tend to be happier than men
• Figure 155: Agreement/disagreement that I am very happy with my life as it is singles, bymarital status and gender, 2004
• Figure 156: Balance of agreement/disagreement that I am very happy with my life as it is -singles, by marital status and gender, 2004
• Figure 157: Agreement/disagreement that I am very happy with my life as it is - singles, byage group, socio-economic group and gender, 2004
• Figure 158: Agreement/disagreement that I am very happy with my life as it is - singles, byage group, and gender, 2004

What do they think about the future?

• Figure 159: Those agreeing that I like to enjoy life, and dont worry about the future -singles and married/cohabiting adults, by gender and age group, 2004
• Figure 160: Those agreeing that I like to enjoy life, and dont worry about the future -singles, by marital status and gender, 2004

Do they want children?

• Figure 161: Those agreeing that what I want most in life is children - singles andmarried/cohabiting adults, by gender and age group, 2004
• Figure 162: Those agreeing that what I want most in life is children - singles, by maritalstatus and gender, 2004

Theyre not all the same - single sub-groups

• Men aged 25-40
• Women aged 25-40
• Men aged 41-54
• Women aged 41-54
• Men aged 55-70
• Women aged 55-70
• Single (never-married) men
• Single (never-married) women
• Divorced/separated/widowed men
• Divorced/separated/widowed women

Singles Appendix

• Figure 163: Population estimates over 16 by marital status, 1991-2003
• Figure 164: Marital status, by sex and age, 2003
• Figure 165: Average age at first marriage, 1991-2002
• Figure 166: Divorces, 1981-2003
• Figure 167: Remarriages of divorced persons, 1981-2002

Demographic profiles

• Figure 168: Singles and all adults aged 25-70: Demographic profiles by gender
• Figure 169: Single adults aged 25-70: demographic profiles, by gender

Household tenure

• Figure 170: Household tenure: singles, by demographic sub-group, 2004
• Figure 171: Household tenure: married or cohabiting adults, by demographic sub-group, 2004