At the end of 1997, two sets of statistics released by the Office of National Statistics confirmed the arrival of economic 'girl power'. Women now form a majority of the workforce and today's female school-leavers are better qualified than their male counterparts.

There has been a sharp rise in the number of women in the workforce, particularly in the part time sector, while the number of men in full time employment has been in slow decline. This key factor is beginning to change traditional purchasing patterns of men and women.

According to economic activity rates modelled by the Office of National Statistics (ONS) the economic activity rates for women will have risen by 4 percent between 1991 and 1996, while the rate for men of working age is expected to fall by 2 percent over the same period. The largest increases in economic activity rates are forecast for women in the 25 to 34 age group. The ONS predicts a rise of 10 percent to a rate of 81 percent by the year 2006. Despite the influx of women into the workforce, however, women's pay still remains at only 75 percent to 80 percent of male rates. This imbalance reflects the preponderance of new jobs for women created in the less well paid service sector.

For many single women, increasing economic parity with men is already a fact of life and Market Assessment research reveals that advertisers have been slow to address the requirements of this group of consumers, who are now commonly identified as 'cash rich but time poor'. Market Assessment estimates that there are 2.2 million households, (about 10 percent of all UK households), of single women with no children. Although many of these women are widowed or divorced, they are financially independent with high disposable personal income.

Demographic changes will also affect men's buying habits, most notably those of single men. By 2016, an estimated third of British people will live alone.

Women over the age of retirement form the largest group of people living in single person households. The second largest group comprises men under the age of retirement. This group has trebled in 25 years and is projected to grow by another third in the next ten years. This trend reflects a decline in marriage figures and a rise in separation and divorce. Apart from the obvious benefits of this development to the housing and household goods market, other markets which cater for male-preferred patterns of behaviour are set to gain, eg the Convenience Foods market.

Key markets have been selected in the report to examine broad patterns of consumer spending for men and women and to highlight divergent patterns of purchase. The first two markets examined, Food and Drink and the Car market, show the greatest variance in terms of what the sexes purchase.

Total expenditure on food and drink, (excluding alcoholic drink) is estimated at £54 bn in the United Kingdom in 1997. Spending on alcoholic drink is estimated at £30 bn.

Consumer expenditure on household food and alcoholic drink is falling as a percentage of total consumer spending as expenditure on leisure and services increases. The fall is partly explained by the increase in eating outside the home. The national average expenditure per person on food and drink eaten outside the home was up by 12 percent in 1996 to £6.53, according to the ONS Consumer Trends survey published in the second quarter of 1997. This compares to an increase of 5 percent expenditure on food and drink to £16.46. Total expenditure on food and drink rose by 3 percent to £44.86 billion. Total expenditure on catering rose by 5.5 percent to £30.7 bn.

Although men eat larger amounts than women, females are still responsible for 75 percent of grocery purchases. The shift to eating outside the home, however, means that men are now more likely to be customers at convenience stores, with over 75 percent of men going to convenience stores more than twice a week. This trend is more pronounced among single men.

NOP Solutions research conducted specifically for this survey indicates that men and women are dependent on the car for their shopping. Two thirds of all adults say they use a car to go shopping, with surprising similarities in patterns of usage between the sexes. Not surprisingly, the car is the second biggest item of household expenditure after housing and food at 13.3 percent of total spending.

Sales of new cars totalled over 2 million in 1996 and continued to boom in 1997 as windfall payments fuelled spending. In the second quarter of 1997, consumer expenditure on new cars rose by 14.1 percent on the same quarter of the previous year.

The total value of the car market is estimated to be worth an estimated £61 billion for 1997 with a volume of nearly 10.7 million cars sold. New car sales are estimated at 2.1 million units for 1997 with an estimated market value of £23 bn. Used car sales are estimated to have reached 8.6 million units in 1997 with an estimate market value of £38 bn.

Although the volume of sales has risen to pre-recession levels, spending patterns on cars remain noticeably volatile and sensitive to economic shocks. The predicted downturn in the economy in 1998 is likely to cut total growth to 1 percent.

A major factor in the continuing success of the car industry will be the rising number of women drivers and women car buyers. 55 percent of women now have licences compared to 81 percent of men, but the gap is getting smaller.

Women, however, only make up a third of new car buyers, which has changed only marginally since 1988. Only one in ten cars bought by women is brand new. Four out of ten are bought nearly new and four out of ten are bought second hand.

The White Goods market, unsurprisingly, yields less variation between the sexes in the purchase of household items. Ownership levels of white goods are equally high between the sexes. Both men and women are equally likely to purchase these goods, albeit with different purchasing criteria. The market was worth an estimated £2.47 billion in 1997 and grew by an estimated 5 percent in value between 1996 and 1997.

The largest sector in volume is the cookers and microwave ovens market which accounted for an estimated 3.7 million units and 39 percent of the total market in 1997. The second largest sector in volume was the home washing and laundry sector with 33 percent of the total market and an estimated 3.1 million sales in 1997.

The largest sector in terms of value is the home laundry sector with an estimated value for 1997 of £916m, followed by the cookers sector with £900m.

Research for this report reveals, however, that the White Goods market will become more subject to changing demographic patterns over the coming decade. Government projections of a requirement for 5 million new homes required to meet the needs of increasing numbers of single person households will ensure the healthy development of the White Goods market. Single parent mothers and single men are more likely to be purchasers than before, as fewer household goods will be bought by a traditional market: couples setting up home together.

The Brown Goods market in the UK surpasses the White Goods market in total market value. Sales reached an estimated 17.9 million units in 1997, a rise of 21 percent since 1992. The total market value was an estimated £3 bn, 15.4 percent greater than the 1992 value, £2.6 bn. Although the purchase of Brown Goods is seldom considered in gender terms, research for this survey indicates wide discrepancies between the sexes in ownership and purchasing of many products.

In patterns of ownership, high volume products such as televisions yield less variation between the sexes. However, men are more likely to own more expensive and 'hi-tech' products, eg 40 percent of males own a NICAM compared with only 28 percent of females.

Men and women have very different purchasing criteria for all durable goods. The high proportion of women who buy nearly new cars indicates a greater concern with price factors and sound financial investment. Market Assessment research shows that women are less likely to be concerned with status and brand name of a car, whereas men value the car as a status item. Men value image and credibility of a car, specification and even colour, far more highly than women (by margins of 7 percent, 17 percent and 4 percent respectively).

Women are more circumspect in all kinds of purchase which require more financial investment. With white goods and cars, women are more concerned with factors such as aftercare, servicing and insurance than men. Similarly, women's continuing greater responsibilities in the home mean that a similar pattern is in evidence in Market Assessment research results for purchasing factors for white and brown goods. They are, however, more likely to consider the appearance of household items and electronic goods. 62 percent of women favoured goods that were compact, a factor rated by only 42 percent of men.

Major transformations are occurring not so much in the products that men and women buy but in the way that they purchase goods. New developments in retail are also changing the traditional image of grocery shopping as the preserve of the 'housewife'.

Although some 75 percent of women still buy all the food for the household, NOP Solutions research for this report indicates that men are being attracted to shopping by more innovative retail methods and technologies. Men are better disposed to the idea of more flexible patterns of shopping hours and retail formats. 46 percent of men surveyed said they would make use of 24 hour shopping facilities, whereas only 38 percent of women were likely to shop on this basis.

The Convenience Store has captured much of the male grocery market and is the only sector where male customers are more likely to outnumber females. 53 percent of male respondents said they visited a Convenience Store more than twice a week compared to only 47 percent of women.

Market Assessment research indicates that there will be a continuing bias towards men in future usage of the Internet. Men were twice as likely to consider buying goods from the Internet. 22 percent of men said they would use the Internet, whereas only 12 percent of women responded positively.

Successful revitalisation of some more traditional retailing sectors has succeeded in attracting the male customer. 44 percent of women shop by mail order but this method of shopping is surprisingly popular with male respondents. Over one in three men interviewed also confirmed their status as mail order shoppers.

One advantage of the wide ranging research process for this report has been the discovery of one emerging difference between the sexes: the increasing trend for women to integrate many purchases. Despite, or perhaps because of their increased employment work load and higher level of household commitments, women are more likely to integrate shopping for durables with shopping for groceries, for example.

NOP Solutions surveys for provides some striking results in the decision-making process for purchasing goods. Consultation is still very much a feature of this process for married couples. Respondents in the 45-54 age group, the most affluent purchasers, were also more likely to consult their partner when buying durable goods than members of any other age group. 71 percent of this group responded positively, compared with a top line figure of 60 percent. Respondents in this group were also more likely to go shopping alone, reflecting their high degree of independence.

The final decision on car purchase is still, however, very much in male hands, with 61 percent of men saying they took this decision and less than three in ten women involved in a final choice.

Much of our research indicates that sales language and environments which are perceived as 'technology' or male dominated is deterring large numbers of women from purchase. Again women are more likely to buy where a range of goods are offered and a wider range of considerations are in evidence than, for example, specification and performance.

The White Goods market will benefit from the housing boom and is forecast to grow by 14 percent in value between 1997 and 2002. Sector growths averaging 18 percent are forecast for the washing machine and refrigerator markets and 10 percent for gas and electric cookers. The young market has been traditionally averse to white goods purchase but the increase in single person households for men and women will represent a growth market despite the overall decline in the 15-24 year age group.

The Brown Goods market is set for healthy growth over the next five years. Although the melt down in Far Eastern economies will mean the value of the market will be less than previously predicted. New TV technology and the imminent introduction of Digital TV in Britain will ensure healthy growth in the NICAM TV sector. Women represent a growth market for new products, if they are correctly targeted.

The gap in NICAM TV figures in sales to men and women can also be partially explained by 'non-friendly' selling environments that do not promote the benefits of new technology. Increased home orientation for leisure has transformed the demand for hi-tech products and will continue to do so, particularly in the home computing sector.

Men are more adventurous in purchasing goods through new channels. The growing diversification of the retail sector will draw more men into food purchasing, particularly in the convenience goods sector and offer opportunities for appropriately selected goods for men.

For women in younger age groups, growing personal income will gradually change the balance away from men as decision-makers in the durables area. Although women still seem to defer to men in final choices on expensive items, this trend will be less significant as the number of households headed by two adults becomes a minority after 2002.

The growing complexity for women in managing more responsibility at work and in the home will mean that they will require goods and services that have a higher degree of convenience and user-friendly features. Packages for durable goods that offer better service and finance deals will be particularly attractive for single women with children - a sector of women who have been ignored and are gaining economic power. Women will expect a higher range of products at point-of-sale.

Our research indicates that childcare will become a critical issue for couples, as women delay families they will be less prepared to give up well paid work. As young men and women's earning power becomes comparable, the decision to have a family will become a more costly one, and costs will become more equally spread between men and women. It can be safely predicted that goods and retail practice which incorporate child-friendly features will be in increasing demand from busy couples, or single mothers, who will pay extra for the right product.