Why women make caring look so easy

Dubai - Survey shows 74 per cent of female respondents spend the majority of their time taking care for family, and in household chores such as cooking and cleaning

Traditionally seen as the nurturers in the family dynamic, women in the Middle East are continuing to play the role of a primary caregiver, with more than 70 per cent of them devoting a significant portion of the day to taking care of their loved ones.
Centrepoint's latest consumer survey explored the aspect of time use on key tasks amongst respondents in the region, and results from the women surveyed showed a distinct focus toward family and the home. It found that 74 per cent of female respondents spent the majority of their time taking care for family, and in household chores such as cooking and cleaning.
Survey respondents came from across the nine Centrepoint territories in the region, predominantly in the age group of 20 to 35 years old. In addition, 88 per cent of women that responded to the survey stated that they were married and 82 per cent stated that they had children.
Simon Cooper, head of Centrepoint, said that the survey was a great insight into the everyday lives of women. Asked if the role of women as nurturers translated into them being the primary shopper for households, Cooper revealed that 70 per cent of the shoppers at Centrepoint are women.
"Women shoppers normally tend to purchase for men. This is consistent across all the markets we operate in. The nationality mix is different in the UAE, where 50 per cent of our shoppers are local and Arab expats, with the remaining being Asians. In Saudi Arabia and other markets, almost 70-90 per cent are locals. At Centrepoint we see family units shopping together, and this is a combination of a mother and her kids, or a husband and his wife, and at times a larger unit of relatives or friends joining," he elaborated.
Cooper also talked about Centrepoint's recent "Better with you" campaign that sought to acknowledge the many big and small roles that women play, and the numerous responsibilities that they take on and deliver in a seemingly effortless manner. The campaign motivated men to appreciate the many talents of the women in their lives, and the brand's social media campaign encouraged its digital audience to share images and stories of the women they know, that have inspired, encouraged or made a difference.
"At Centrepoint, women are a big part of our customer base, and we are very fortunate to have the support of such a large audience in the region. It was important for us to give back to the women in our lives, and really appreciate what they do for us on a daily basis. The response from the customers has been phenomenal in-store and across our social media platforms. They have been very engaged with the campaign, and in ensuring they thank the women in their lives that have helped them get to where they are now. The campaign film has a total of 6,226,045 views across all platforms," Cooper said.
- rohma@khaleejtimes.com