British Department Store Debenhams Offers a Divorce Registry: Good Divorce Idea or Divorce Marketing Ploy?

Divorce has reached such an accepted status in the modern world that now Debenhams, a British department store, has created a gift list for those going through a divorce.  Instead of a wedding registry, they have established a divorce registry.  Reuters described the business move as promoting “the party atmosphere of modern divorce.”

Debenhams said it launched a divorce gift registry service to compliment the increased sales it was seeing in divorce “celebration” cards, divorce party supplies and divorce cakes, as well as a way to help someone through the difficult economic situation that divorces often are.

Reuters quotes Debenhams head of retail services Peter Moore as stating, “Divorcing can be an expensive time and registering for a divorce gift list means that family and friends can help the newly separated begin their new life.”

Like it United States counterpart, British marriages are also likely to end in divorce (Office for National Statistics).

After seeing firsthand both the economic and emotional devastation that contested divorces can wreak on a couple or family, I see the wisdom in offering a divorce registry.  The social taboo of divorce is certainly shrinking.

Although, one could argue that offering a divorce registry is simply another clever marketing ploy to prey on those already in a vulnerable situation.  Sometimes it seems that businesses will do anything to get people to open their wallets and pocketbooks, even if they are suffering through a difficult time, like a divorce.

My hope for you is that if you are going to get divorced you see if you qualify for an uncontested divorce.  Uncontested divorces are a way for you to save money, time and heartache, while achieving the fast results that you need.