Self-love toys and luxury lingerie: Data shows what UK online shoppers are buying during social distancing and a love lockdown
- Online demand for self-love toys and lingerie skyrocketed in April during the lockdown period in the United Kingdom, according to a fortnightly report.
- Demand rose for both female and male sex toys, premium lingerie brands became 50% more popular and "lace teddies" were found to be best-sellers.
- Liverpool, Brighton, London and Birmingham were among the cities with highest demand in the UK whose residents were found to be looking for new ways to uplift their spirits during the coronavirus pandemic.
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Britain appears to be turning to self-love in the time of social distancing.
In a span of three weeks between April 1 and April 22 during the lockdown in the UK, online consumer demand for sex toys jumped more than two-fold compared to the previous year.
Living in self-isolation led to a subsequent increase in demand and sales for X-rated products in Britain, according to a report by online clearance retailer Love the Sales.
"April has been a turbulent month for retailers, consumer buying behaviour is changing by the day," said Rupert Walker, head of brand at online marketplace Love the Sales. "Self care is high on people's agendas as can be seen in the spike in slippers, loungewear, lingerie and sex toys."
The "Lockdown Economy" report, seen by Business Insider, provides insights from UK online retailers into changing consumer behavior during the Covid-19 crisis. Here are some highlights from the report:
Newfound obsession for sex toys
Since dating would mean flouting social distancing rules, online consumer demand for sex toys in the UK increased more than two-fold. Demand for self-love toys peaked during the lockdown as sales rose 126% in April compared to the same period last year.
Premium lingerie brands also saw growing popularity as demand levels jumped nearly 50%. Other popular products included extra quiet vibrators, fleshlights, gags, whips, blindfolds and handcuffs.
Sex toy brand Womanizer posted a 50% rise in product sales for the first quarter in 2020.
Trending: Extra-quiet vibrators
Extra-quiet vibrators were the most in-vogue products for women shoppers in self-isolation with friends and family, with demand up 112% in April compared to last year.
Demand for "rabbit vibrators" rose 82%. Dildos and handcuffs were up 71% and 50% year-on-year respectively.
UK cities with the highest demand
With only an hour of time officially permitted for exercise and space at a premium in densely-populated cities, urban dwellers are looking for new ways to spend their time.
Liverpool saw the highest year-on-year increase in UK consumer demand for sex toys with a 62% jump. Seaside city Brighton saw the second-highest jump at 56%. London and Birmingham also saw increases in demand.
Female toys saw a bigger bounce than in February
Online consumer demand for female toys and devices shot up 78% for the period in the UK compared to April 2019.
In a normal situation, annual data would present a peak in demand for female sex toys in February, especially around Valentine's Day. This year, however, online searches for female sex toys were 43% higher in the first half of April compared to February.
Rising demand for male sex toys
Online shoppers tripled searches for male sex toys in April, as figures for X-rated male products jumped 173% year-on-year. Popular toy categories for men included fleshlights, inflatable dolls, and penis rings.
Leaps in search for premium lingerie
Consumer search for premium erotic lingerie also surged during the lockdown. As a consequence of the new interest, lingerie brands Agent Provocateur and Ann Summers had the biggest jump in demand at 49% and 44% year-on-year respectively.
Lingerie of choice: 'teddies'
Lace teddies, a one-piece lingerie made from lace, was yet another trend among online shoppers, with demand for the product jumping 52% year-on-year in April.
Other popular products included suspender belts and nipple tassels.