COUNTY NEWS: £3 billion unworn shoes could be hidden in women's wardrobes

More than £3 billion worth of rarely worn or unworn shoes could be hidden in women's wardrobes, a recent survey has revealed.
The study revealed British women opt for looks rather than comfortThe study revealed British women opt for looks rather than comfort
The study revealed British women opt for looks rather than comfort

The study, tested on 2,000 women by Hotter shoes, revealed British women opt for looks rather than comfort and more than 70 per cent have ‘smiled through pain’ to wear their favourite pairs.

And at least a fifth are putting thenselves at risk of blisters and bunions from poorly fitted footwear once a week, according to the study.

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Vicky Betts, channel director of Hotter shoes, said: “We were astounded by the amount money wasted, and the pain women endure, buying shoes that simply don’t fit. It should be a pleasure to put on a brand new pair of shoes not a pain.

“We have discovered that many adults in the UK last had their shoes fitted properly in their childhood and we are now on a mission to encourage people to visit our stores nationwide to have their shoes fitted by our comfort experts.

“We offer a collection of shoes for many occasions, including on trend styles such as canvas pumps, strappy sandals and brogues which have an ageless appeal.

“Recently, for example, our new wedge styles have been boosted by an influx of customers influenced by the ‘Kate effect’.”

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In the run up to National Shoe Fitting Week, which started today (April 8), the UK’s biggest shoemaker also discovered that a quarter of women polled have owned a pair of ‘sit down’ shoes that are literally too uncomfortable to walk in and nearly three in ten will carry a spare pair of shoes in their handbag on a night out or have walked home barefoot.

The survey also revealed that women are most likely to grin and bear shoes during social events; 65 per cent are likely to wear an uncomfortable pair at occasions like a wedding or christening; 55 per cent to a party and 40 per cent when simply going out dinner.

The most popular reasons to wear an uncomfortable shoe were cosmetic: 57 per cent will put up with an uncomfortable shoe if it matches their outfit and 33 per cent will buy an uncomfortable pair of shoes if they ‘look pretty’.

More than one in ten women surveyed owned more than five pairs of shoes that they had rarely or never worn and women polled had an average of £126 worth of shoes that had rarely or never been worn; with one per cent owning £1,000 worth or more of unworn shoes.

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