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Sales of Shewees rise 700% since start of lockdown in summer of park drinks

An increase in the shewee's popularity is thought to be due to a spike in park drinks this summer. (Getty Images)
An increase in the Shewee's popularity is thought to be due to a spike in park drinking this summer. (Getty Images)

The coronavirus lockdown saw pubs and bars – like many other businesses – shut their doors.

This gave rise, once limits on meet-ups from members of different households were relaxed, to a sharp spike in the number of people catching up over a drink in the park.

With such locations still without open toilet facilities, men and women have had to answer the call of nature al fresco – with the former group finding it a much easier task than the latter.

So it is perhaps unsurprising that Shewee, a plastic portable urinating device for ladies, has reported a 700% rise in sales in the last five months.

According to The Guardian, other companies that offer similar products have also experienced a jump in activity.

Sales of Pee Pocket, made from cardboard, have gone up 800%, while Tinkle Belle and P Style have also recorded added interest.

Shewee, the first of its kind, was invented in the late 1990s by product-design student Sam Fountain.

Explaining how she came up with the idea, the founder told The Guardian: “Men don’t have a problem with using public toilets, but women do: having to get their bottoms out and touching everything, the massive queues.

Read more: Experts call for two female toilets for every male one to address gender imbalance

“I was looking at a tampon applicator one day and thought: ‘Wouldn’t it be great if you could just wee down that?’”

It first became publicly available in 2003, and quickly became popular with those who spent a lot of time outdoors – acquiring many more fans for this reason during lockdown.

With prices starting at £4.99, the Shewee is made from liquid-repellant material.

Once used, it can be easily wiped and returned to a portable case.

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