Housewives out in front in UK web use

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UK housewives’ appetite for the web is bigger than everyone else’s, according to research - debunking the myth that it’s the younger generations and males that spend the most time online.

This group spend almost half (47 per cent) of their free time surfing the web, compared with the lower rates of 39 per cent and 32 per cent for students and the unemployed respectively.

But the research – which spanned more than 27,000 respondents in 16 countries as part of TNS' Digital World, Digital Life report – also showed that despite our love of the web, we don’t quite love it as much as our counterparts in China. Indeed, Chinese surfers spend 44 per cent of their free time online, while we dedicate just 28 per cent of ours to the same cause.

“So few decisions are made without any input from online research, from choosing a new home or a school for our children – the input of the internet into the decision making process makes it one of the most important influencers in our life choices,” Barry Lemmon, global head of retail and shopper insights, said in the report.

Shopping, banking and the like aren’t the only areas getting more online attention of late, with social activities including making and chatting to friends also enjoying a boost.

“Social networking is perhaps the most noticeable sign of consumers’ daily digital lives. Its fun and social aspects are clearly visible through MySpace, Facebook, and Second Life,” Gaurav Bhalla, TNS’ global innovation director, said in the report. “What is not easily apparent is the potential that this platform offers businesses for customer collaboration and co-creation of value. All indicators suggest that both consumers and businesses will continue to invest even greater energy in social media and social networking in the coming years.”

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