Women’s love for shopping is handed down by their mums

London: The age-old mystery why women love shopping may finally have been answered – with a new research suggesting that mothers may be responsible for passing on the habit to their daughters.

Sales levels have indicated that it is behaviour that is learned, so it may be down to women’s mothers that they like to shop so much. Figures have revealed that clothes for baby girls out-sell those for boys by a fifth. It emerged that by the age of four, girls have 20 per cent more clothes than boys of that age. As mothers buy most of the clothes for their children, they instinctively instil a much greater need for clothes in their daughters from a very young age. As a result, it is likely that women are brought up to love shopping through years of intense exposure to fashion and purchases. Dr Karen J. Pine, Professor of Developmental Psychology at the University of Hertfordshire, interpreted the Debenhams sales results, and said, “Human society puts a great deal of emphasis on female appearance and this will inevitably result in more clothes being purchased for girls than boys.” “Parents encourage the importance of clothes through leisure activities such as shopping and play that involves dressing up,” the Daily Mail quoted Pine as saying. “While dads are taking their sons out for football matches, women are taking their little girls shopping and encouraging them to take an interest in fashion,” Pine added. Debenhams spokesman Ed Watson said: “It looks like the mum’s the word on this one and the boys aren’t getting a look in.” ANI