Materialistic Britain is soft in the middle. In an age where electronics giants wage price wars to attract consumer spending, research conducted by YouGov¹ shows that more than half (57%) of Brits with a prized possession believe these are of more emotional value than material worth. 

Most heart-warming of all, the research indicates that a large proportion of Brits cherish their loved-ones above all other possessions. Nearly one in every five people (19%) says that their family, wife, husband, son, daughter, children or grandchildren are their most prized ‘possession’. 

Mark Shaw, General Manager for Residential Business at ADT Fire and Security, said: “The proliferation of smart phones, tablets and other gadgets, suggests that we live in a highly materialistic world. So, it is a pleasant surprise to know that so many people think of their families and possessions that don’t carry a high price tag as their most treasured.” 

The research shows that women with prized possessions have more emotional attachment to them than men. Over two thirds of these women (65%) compared with under half (47%) of men claim that their most prized possessions are of emotional rather than material value. 

Perhaps suggesting more gadget-attachment among younger age groups, the research also shows that 39% of 18-24 year olds hold their material possessions, including computers (1%), laptops (3%) and mobile phones (1%), most dear to them. This compares with 57% of 25-44 year olds and 62% of people aged 55 years and over. Shaw continued: “With so much value being placed on items of no material worth, it is interesting to consider the impact of burglary outside of simply the material loss. The research suggests that family photographs and childhood teddies carry high emotional value for many people and, if stolen, these can’t be replaced. 

“Crime rates are increasing and reports of residential burglaries are now 10% higher than last year². Everyone should consider taking steps to protect what’s important to them and one of the most effective ways to deter burglars is to fit a highly visible monitored alarm to your home.” 

 ¹ Research conducted by YouGov, on behalf of home security specialist ADT. All figures, unless otherwise stated, are from YouGov Plc. Total sample size was 2069 adults. Fieldwork was undertaken between 24th and 26th October 2011. The survey was carried out online. The figures have been weighted and are representative of all GB adults (aged 18+). ² Source: British Crime Survey, Crime in England and Wales, published 20th October 2011