Women go on a shopping orgy
WOMEN are taking charge, not just in the bedroom, but on expeditions to the sex shop too. Ann Summers reported a positively rampant surge in sales at Christmas, boosted by a more adventurous attitude to sex and growing numbers of women customers.
About 70% of customers at the sex shop chain are now women, compared with 10% 20 years ago. Ann Summers, which sells sex toys, clothing and novelty goods in 55 UK stores as well as through 7,500 women party planners, revealed a 26% increase in sales at Christmas compared with last.
Chief executive Jacqueline Gold, 41, said: 'The British are becoming more adventurous and they are much more sophisticated when it comes to sex toys in particular. Twenty years ago customers at the parties were embarrassed by those sort of products but now people are much more aware and much more confident.'
Big sellers this Christmas included The Little Book Of Sex, underwear and men's novelty pouches - sporting a stallion, sheep or pig which makes a noise when its nose is squeezed. Ann Summers has sought to shed the tacky image of the sex shop, while sexy lingerie has become mainstream with even M&S launching a range in association with Agent Provocateur.
