Text A A Nation of Shopaholics Its the sort of thing men joke about in the pub.

My wifes addicted to shopping, theyll say, while their mates grin and nod sympathetically. A study suggests however, that the compulsion to buy may be a growing problem, affecting as many as one in five people, and in extreme cases leading to family breakup and financial ruin. The number of people who confess to being shopaholics has grown from fifteen percent to twenty-two percent of the population in five years. And while twenty-nine percent of women admit to being addicted, so do fifteen percent of men. Shopping is no longer simply a way of providing essentials for the family, say market researchers, to many women it is more like a hobby. True, many people have more money to spend these days. Personal disposable income has risen by seventy-five percent in twenty years. However, what they buy is not necessarily what they can afford. Over the same period, the number of people using credit cards has increased by four times, and consumer debt has trebled. Spending sprees can be a symptom of serious personal problems, according to researchers who have studied the subject. There are revenge shoppers, who want to spite their husbands or boyfriends because they are unhappy with their relationships. There are those who need shopping trips to add excitement to their lives. Dr. Helga Dittma, of the University of Sussex, believes habitual shopping particularly for designer clothes and jewellery is a symptom of a collapse of self-esteem. Addicts want not only the latest fashions, but they want to feel like the sort of person who would normally own them, and to feel important, glamorous and loved.

Text B Woman Banker Stole 150,000 For Clothes A bank executive stole more than 150,000 from her employers and blew it on clothes and make-up to escape the stresses of being a working mother. Lyne Harding hid her purchases from her husband, who had no idea of what she was doing. And she got away with it for four years, until Lloyds Bank became suspicious of the assistant branch manager and called in auditors. Now the thirty-one-year-old mother of two is facing a jail sentence. A court heard that Harding would open bank accounts using fictitious names, and authorise loans of up to 15,000 a time. Harding went on huge spending sprees, sometimes spending thousands on designer make-up in one day. The only other luxury she allowed herself was a car paid for with a cheque form a bogus account. It was a vicious circle. I couldnt stop spending, she told police officer after her arrest in February. It all started as a way of escaping the demands of a full-time job, combined with looking after a home and two children, she said. Although I had a boss, he did not take a very active part in running the bank. I dealt with almost everything, and was finding it extremely difficult. She awaits sentence at Southwark Crown court.