Research indicates that approximately 7% of adults globally struggle with shopping addiction, facing an insatiable urge to spend irrespective of financial consequences. This compulsive behaviour is particularly prevalent among younger women. Ella Hewitt from Liverpool exemplifies this issue, having once spent up to £700 monthly on fast fashion that she often didn’t even wear.
Struggles and Strategies: Coping with Compulsion
In 2021, Ella, then an HR assistant, was drawn into purchasing trending items from platforms like TikTok and Instagram, predominantly when tired or bored. The habit subjected her to financial strain, preventing her move out of the family home. Alarmed, she began using strategies to moderate her spending, including waiting 30 days before fulfilling an urge to buy. More often than not, the impulse faded during the waiting period.
To further curb her addiction, Ella imagined a daily budget of £1,000 for fictional purchases, allowing her to satisfy her shopping itch without financial repercussions. Additionally, she implemented a rule to buy only if she could afford the item three times over. As a result, she estimates she reduced her spending by 60%, gaining more control over her finances. Ella now works as an ethical fashion influencer, with plans to start her own clothing line.
Ukat Group, which provides addiction treatment, reports an increase in shopping addiction cases, with 90% of the afflicted being women. Signs of a problem include post-purchase euphoria, subsequent guilt, concealing purchases from loved ones, and a home cluttered with unneeded items.
Effective Spending Control Tips
- Delay purchases by at least 48 hours to let urges subside.
- Remove saved credit card details and shopping apps from your devices.
- Create and adhere to a shopping list before entering stores or visiting sites.
- Set a small budget for indulgences, even if it’s imaginary.
- Unsubscribe from retailer communications and unfollow shopping influencers.
- Use existing products before buying new ones; accessorise instead of buying new outfits.
- Identify triggers, like shopping due to loneliness or stress, and opt for alternatives like exercise or socialising.
- Seek help from organisations like Citizens Advice or Stepchange for financial guidance.
Shifting from Instant Gratification
Dish Patel, another young woman affected by shopping addiction, recounts her experience maxing out a £2,500 overdraft on clothing, food, make-up, and skincare items while a student. Inspired by childhood financial constraints, the brief excitement of new purchases often gave way to repeated cycles of impulsive spending.
Now a financial planner, Dish began reclaiming control by deleting shopping apps and ApplePay from her phone and avoiding carrying bank cards. Her routine included pre-purchasing train tickets to avert unplanned expenses. Dish adopted a novel rule: any desired purchase required a corresponding deposit into savings, effectively refraining from ‘spending the money twice’.
Research by Vanquis points to Gen Z as the age group most prone to impulse buys, followed closely by millennials. Social media’s pervasive ads, influencer endorsements, and effortless checkouts significantly contribute to the purchase mania. Furthermore, charities like Money and Mental Health argue that the design of online shopping platforms encourages easy spending, with attention-grabbing pop-ups and deferred payment options like Buy Now Pay Later.
Reporting based on coverage first published by bbc.co.uk.