WOMEN FEEL UNWELCOME AND PATRONISED AT SHOWROOMS

Survey finds half believe car buying experience is tailored towards men

- JOHN EVANS

The motor trade isn’t doing enough to make women feel welcome when they're buying a car, according to new research.

Tn 2023, almost 17 million women held a UK driving licence, compared with almost 18 million men, and many women buy their own car or are responsible for a shared purchase of one.

Yet in a recent survey of 7500 drivers by Citroën UK, nearly half of the women asked (48%) said their car buying experience was tailored towards male customers. Nearly as many (44%) said they felt patronised by male sales staff and only 25% said they felt comfortable asking for help in a car showroom.

Another result from the survey that should be a cause for concern for a male-dominated industry is that four times as many women as men said they would seek out a female member of staff when buying a new car.

These findings won't surprise those car buyers who take to Mumsnet, a leading parenting forum, to express their frustration about car dealerships.