← External Forces: Demographic, Consumer & Market (all topics)
Female workforce participation
What it is
Women's participation in the labour force has risen substantially over recent years, adding household income and changing what households buy
Dual-income households spend differently - more on convenience, packaged food, appliances, childcare, transport and financial products
Impact on industries
- Raises household income without adding a household, so consumption per household rises faster than population or household formation
- Shifts demand toward time-saving products - packaged food, appliances, quick commerce, organised childcare and personal transport
- Expands the addressable base for insurance, credit and investment products, since a second earner changes the household's financial profile
- Much of the increase is in low-paid informal and agricultural work, so the income effect is smaller than the participation figure suggests