Decided to buy a single pair of Hanes instead of splurging on a pack of three? That girl standing in the checkout line behind you isn’t the only one who noticed.
According to Esquire, economists have linked fluctuations in underwear sales to fluctuations in the economy. The theory, dubbed “The Underwear Index,” operates under the assumption that men don’t just want underwear, they need underwear. So when they buy less, it’s for a reason: the state of the economy. In times of financial downturn, men are more likely to stretch the time between buying new pairs, causing underwear sales to drop.
Which brings us back to that three-pack. In the years leading up to and including the recession, there was a 2% decrease in men buying multi-packs of underwear, and a 3% increase in guys like you who grab a single pair.
But don’t let all this influence your buying patterns going forward. You wouldn’t want to skew all that underwear data, would you?
By Joanna Berliner, Senior Editor
So, are you a 3-pack or a singles kind of guy? Tweet us at @ruelala to share.
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