7.8 million UK singles used online dating services in 2007
By now it's quite obvious that Internet has become a mainstream way to meet someone special in the Western Europe. As a matter of fact, there's a fifty-fifty chance that any single person you know is currently using an online dating service.
According to the UK online matchmaking service PARSHIP, 7.8 million single Britons — 52% for men and 48% for women — used some form of online dating service last year. In comparison, 5.4 million people used a mixture of offline and online services in 2005. What's more, 53% of singles (59% of men and 46% of women) say they intend to use the Internet to meet someone in the future, with figures rising to 65% with 36 to 40 year olds who say they intend to log on to find love in 2008.
Other numbers from this research:
- 29% of respondents believe online dating services are a great way of finding love (as opposed to a casual fling), and 57% say it's socially acceptable, even if 25% of people in a relationship would beg to differ.
- 75% of UK singles haven't had a serious relationship in more than a year, while 53% have been without anyone special for more than three years.
- Of the British singles logging on to find love, men dated 4 different women over a 12-month period and women clocked up three dates.
- There are 15 million singles now living in Britain — 51% are looking for a long term-relationship; 17% would prefer a casual relationship and 28% are not looking for a relationship at all.
- UK singles would go for commitment leading to marriage (29%) rather than simple cohabitation (24%).
- As might be expected, it's women in the UK who especially favour marriage vows: one third of them (33%) are looking forward to their Big Day, compared to just one quarter (24%) of British men.