UK singles support £3.6 billion of consumption a year in their pursuit of love, according to a recent report by Cebr on behalf of match.com.

 

There are over 3 million singles in the UK going on the  almost 37 million dates each year. The average couple spends £103 on each date, so taken all together, dating has noticeable impact on consumer spending.

 

Many sectors of the economy benefit from dating, with venues on the high street by far the biggest.  The overall spend on entertainment, restaurants and bars in 2013 was £2.1 billion. On each date, singles spend an average of £29.40 in restaurants, and an average of £18.86 in bars and pubs.

 

The economic contribution of dating also varies significantly by region. In London, dating accounts for £880 million of consumer spending each year. In the South, Midlands and East, these figures are £700 million, £620 million and £250 million respectively. As an economic contribution, some 69% of all date related spending in the UK is spent in these four regions.

 

Daniel Solomon, Cebr economist and main author of the report, comments: “With just over three million active daters in the UK, there is no denying that their activity has a noticeable economic impact. Dating makes an essential contribution to the high street, directly helping a range of industries like retail, food and drink and entertainment.”