Bank's patronising promotion takes liberties with an old stereotype

Do banks really know what women want? As one of the most neglected consumer demographics in the male-dominated banking world, women and their financial power have been sorely underestimated by many financial institutions, writes Felicity Glover.

Do banks really know what women want? As one of the most neglected consumer demographics in the male-dominated banking world, women and their financial power have been sorely underestimated by many financial institutions.

But it seems there's one bank in France that thinks it has found the answer by offering them - insultingly - such deals as handbag insurance and access to a handyman hotline as part of a summer offer for its "Pour Elle" bank card.

Poor Elle, more like it.

The offer, by Société Genéralé, a lender based in Paris, has left many women in France up in arms for being singled out by their bank as needing special help, Reuters has reported.

And who would blame them?

The pink-and-gold-coloured Pour Elle bank card promises to "simplify" women's lives with up to €200 (Dh921) of handbag theft insurance and a dedicated hotline for up to two electrician, locksmith or other handyman call-outs a year, Reuters adds.

"It's a little cheeky to promote both at the same time as 'female crises' that could arise," Lys-Aelia Hart, 24, an assistant art buyer living in Paris, was quoted by Reuters as saying.

"In my eyes, many men don't know how to deal with a serious electrical issue - on the contrary, they'd probably get killed."

I know a few men like that, too - although they'd never admit it.

But Société Genéralé is adamant this is what women really, really want (sorry; you can blame the Spice Girls at the closing ceremony of the London Olympic Games for that appalling flashback).

A spokeswoman (I guess they had to roll out a woman for this one) for Société Genéralé says the cards have been a "great success" and the bank doesn't see them as sexist.

"We don't think it's a discriminatory approach," she told Reuters. "Those who choose these cards are those who wish to adhere to their femininity."

She adds "5 per cent of cardholders are men", who are, no doubt, trying to get in touch with their feminine side.

Or just can't be bothered to change their own light bulbs.

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It's a sad reality, but we've become a disposable world. From disposable razors to disposable nappies and disposable cameras (just to name a few), nothing is built to last these days.

But our throw-away mentality has reached new heights with the news that Americans are throwing away nearly half their food every year, which is the equivalent of about US$165 billion (Dh606.03bn).

A recent study by the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC), a non-profit environmental organisation, found Americans toss out 40 per cent of the food supply every year, Reuters reported.

Break it down and the average family of four throws away the equivalent of $2,275 annually in food.

"As a country, we're essentially tossing every other piece of food that crosses our path," Dana Gunders, a scientist with the NRDC's food and agriculture programme, was quoted as saying. "That's money and precious resources down the drain."

Worse, the NRDC found there had been a 50 per cent increase in US food waste since the 1970s, with unsold fruit and vegetables in grocery stores accounting for a large portion.

But it's not just the grocery stores at fault: restaurants and consumers are also guilty of the practice because the portions they prepare are simply too large for the average person to eat, bringing new meaning to the phrase "super size me".