With just 30 days to Valentine’s day Poundland has launched its extensive range for the big day, including its iconic £1 placeholder engagement ring.
But because it’s also 45 days until the once-in-four-years opportunity for the ladies to pin down their man on 29 February, Poundland has also today launched its debut ‘Ask Him Ring!’ for leap year day proposals both online and in stores.
The £1 placeholder ring, that comes in three sizes is for those who think he might never get around to it and do the asking on the day that, according to tradition, is the one women should propose.
The romantic silver faux wedding band is presented in a luxury blue velvet heart-shaped ring box and comes from the same placeholder ring range that Poundland has sold for the last five years.
Since 2019, Poundland has sold tens of thousands of placeholder engagement rings in the run-up to Valentines, meaning that a significant proportion of UK weddings over the past five years may have started with a Poundland proposal.
The budget retailer’s ‘stand-by’ rings are for anyone planning to propose to their significant other – placeholder rings are used when couples get engaged but haven’t yet chosen a real engagement ring.
The notion that women can propose on February 29 each leap year has its roots in the Irish tradition of Bachelor’s Day, sometimes known as Ladies’ Privilege, based on a legend of Saint Bridget and Saint Patrick.
It once had a legal basis in Scotland and England.
In traditional English law, 29 February was not a legal day, so the legal bar at that time on women proposing would not apply during a leap year. This may have begun the tradition.
In Scotland, Irish monks took the tradition where in 1288, it was made into a law that women could propose during leap years, that they must wear a red petticoat while proposing, and that refusals would result in a fine.
This was supposedly decreed by the young, unmarried Queen Margaret, even though she was only five years old.
The fine could be a kiss, or payment for a silk dress or a pair of gloves.
This is the first year the bling ring has been sold online. The placeholder rings join an extensive Valentines range in store and online at https://www.poundland.co.uk/valentines-day. As well as confetti, gifts and cards, there’s also extensive ranges of decorations, gift bags, candles and confectionery.
“It might be a bit of fun, but for those who want to propose this leap year, we’re ready,” said Poundland.co.uk’s Tom Hill.
“But whether it’s a February 29 proposal or a quiet traditional valentines evening on February 14, we promise heart-pounding prices across our whole range.”
Poundland’s recent digital expansion is one element of the transformation programme being rolled out across the business.
Over the last five years Poundland has been undertaking a range revolution in its stores, adding whole new categories such as clothing, homewares, and chilled and frozen food giving customers an alternative to supermarkets.
More than 600 Poundland stores now offer a full clothing range and over 450 extended chilled and/or frozen food.
It continues to revamp stores so they can accommodate these wider ranges as Poundland brings more of the items that customers buy week-in, week-out.
