Women Weighed Down By 35000 Tonnes of Handbags
Women are carrying around too much in their handbags and are leaving themselves open to identity theft, according to research by Sheilas' Wheels the major new car insurance brand for women.
W ith research showing the average handbag weighing in at almost 3.5lbs (1), Sheilas' Wheels urges women to change their bag habits by carrying around only the bare essentials, leaving important documents at home, choosing a secure bag, and remaining vigilant whilst out and about, and in their cars.
Every day women across the UK lug around handbags containing a staggering 381 million individual items (2), many of which could be used to steal their owner's identity and shouldn't be carried around according to Sheilas' Wheels "handbag security poll" (3). Almost two thirds of all women's handbags contain at least one such "offending" item: nearly half contain a diary with personal details; a quarter have a cheque book; one in eight women carry utility bills in their handbags "one of the most useful" proof of identity" documents for fraudsters " while 7% admit to carrying around their passport.
One in three women (36%) admit they carry around too much and never bother to clear out their handbag. This lack of ‘decluttering’ their personal items – fuelled by the growth in size of celebrity ‘must have’ handbags – leaves women vulnerable to opportunistic identity thieves if their bag is snatched from their arm or their car.
But the attractiveness of handbags to the criminal fraternity goes well beyond identity theft. With the average cost of a handbag and its contents estimated at £290 (4), it’s the street value and desirability of ipods, mobile phones and the bag itself, that can be a draw to criminals.
Sheilas’ Wheels offers some handbag safety tips:
Choosing a safe handbag
One in three women (37%) put fashion before safety and practicality when picking their handbag:
- Choose a handbag with buckles or other secure fastenings- to make it more difficult for criminals to access.
- Use inner compartments and zips for purses or valuable items.
- Never over-fill your bag so that it can’t be securely fastened.
- Choose a bag with a long strap so you can wear it across your body.
Carrying your bag safely
- Only carry around what you need that day.
- Carry your handbag diagonally across your chest, not over your shoulder or in your hand.
- Keep your handbag shut and use all the fastenings.
- Angle the bag to the front of your body, so you can see it at all times.
- Never jeopardise your personal safety if your handbag is snatched.
Handbag safety whilst driving
Alarmingly, over a quarter of women (26%) drive with their car doors unlocked and their handbag on the passenger seat:
- Always lock all your doors whilst driving.
- Never keep your handbag on the passenger seat, especially if you are driving a convertible – keep it out of sight, such as in the footwell or under the seat.
- If you must have your car windows open, wind them quarter or half way down, not giving anyone the opportunity to reach into your car.
- Don’t keep your valuables on display – whether you are in or out of your car.
Jacky Brown, spokeswoman for Sheilas’ Wheels said: “With sales of handbags soaring, women’s passion for their favourite accessories is clear. But with the size of ‘must-have’ celebrity handbags on the up, women are weighing themselves down with heavy handbags packed full of items that could make them more vulnerable to handbag theft. Losing your bag and its contents not only creates the obvious problem of loss of cash and credit cards, but can lead to other issues such as identity theft and burglary.
“Although having a fashionable bag is often the priority for women, it’s crucial to think about both safety and security when buying, packing, carrying or driving around with a handbag. Some women say they carry the world around in their bags, which is why Sheilas’ Wheels has unique cover for handbags that are ‘car snatched’ - up to the value of £300.”
Notes to editors:
Sheilas’ Wheels is the only car insurer to offer its policyholders £300 handbag cover - for bags stolen from the car.
(1) The average weight of a handbag was calculated by asking women to equate the weight of their handbag to a bag of apples. The weight of an apple was estimated using the average weight of three types of common apple (Cox, Gala and Honeycrunch): 0.3lbs. The average handbag equated to 10.5 apples or 3.4lbs - this was multiplied by the total number of women aged 18+ in the UK: 22, 813 million. (Source: National Readership Survey conducted with 34,290 adults aged 18+ between July 2003 - June 2004, ICM)
(2) The average woman’s handbag contains 17 items - this was multiplied by the total number of women aged 18+ in the UK: 22, 813 million. (Source: National Readership Survey conducted with 34,290 adults aged 18+ between July 2003 - June 2004, ICM)
(3) ICM interviewed a random sample of 527 females aged 18+ by telephone across the country between 24th and 27th February 2006.
(4) ICM Research interviewed a random sample of 480 female adults aged 18+ by telephone between 14-15 September 2005.
Press contacts:
Laura Parsons, Public Relations Officer at Sheilas’ Wheels:01737 641304 (laura.parsons@esure.com)
Niki Bolton, Public Relations Manager at Sheilas’ Wheels:01737 235070
(niki.bolton@esure.com)
Asia Manzoor, Communications Officer at Sheilas’ Wheels: 01737 641305
(asia.manzoor@esure.com)
About Sheilas’ Wheels:
Sheilas’ Wheels launched in October 2005 to offer women drivers cheaper car insurance and product enhancements including £300 handbag cover - for bags stolen from the car - competitive breakdown recovery rates, a dedicated counselling line run by trained professionals to help customers cope with driving issues such as road rage, and a network of female-friendly mechanics.
Customer contact number: 0800 085 6919.
