Gadgets may have topped everyone’s Christmas list, but a new survey reveals that there’s no love lost over the chargers needed to keep devices powered up with 65 per cent of people admitting they’re frustrated with them. UK consumer batteries manufacturer, VARTA, announces its findings ahead of the launch of its universal charger, the V-Man Home Station.

72 per cent of people find chargers lying around the home unsightly, and it’s no wonder that chargers wind the nation up as there are seven chargers in each household on average. In fact, nearly a quarter (23 per cent) of those surveyed own ten or above. Respondents in London have the most chargers per household, owning eight on average.

Further stress occurs when chargers go missing – a whopping 85 per cent of those surveyed in Northern Ireland said they get frustrated by not being able to find their charger – 20 per cent above the national average.

Nearly three quarters of office workers questioned said they’re frustrated when they can’t find a charger and 30 per cent of those asked admitted they waste the most time during the day searching for a gadget charger or finding the wrong charger, with those in Wales at the top of the list.

VARTA’s V-Man Home Station can power most mobile phones, MP3 players and hand-held computer game consoles on the market, making numerous chargers redundant. Anthony Sewart, Sales Director at Varta Consumer Batteries, explains: “We hope the launch of the V-Man Home Station will combat the tempestuous relationship consumers have with chargers. With its eight adaptors, compatible with most gadgets on the market, the V-Man Home Station can charge up to four devices simultaneously, meaning gadget lovers can be done with multiple chargers.

“The Home Station’s adapters can be freely rotated up to 90˚ to give users greater flexibility on what gadgets can be charged at any one time. In addition, the Home Station can also charge two AA or AAA batteries. Gadget users can replace their chargers with VARTA’s sleek and stylish charging hub to defuse their frustration and reduce squandered time.”

The V-Man Home Station comes with an adapter power cable, eight adapters compatible with most mobile phones, MP3 players and hand-held computer game consoles on the market as well as a mini USB. The latest charging product from VARTA’s Professional Range, the V-Man Home Station retails at £49.99 from Amazon.co.uk as well as electrical retailers including Best Buy.    

Ends.

Notes to Editors

About the survey

§         VARTA commissioned market research company, OnePoll, to investigate the nation’s charging habits, based on a sample of 2,000 people across the UK

About Varta

§         VARTA, part of Spectrum Brands, is a leading manufacturer of portable batteries, delivering consumer batteries that offer flexibility and independence. As one of the biggest manufacturers in Europe, VARTA holds the number one position in a number of major European markets.

For further company and product information, please visit http://www.varta-consumer.co.uk