The portion of Norwegian households that pay for help to keep the house clean has tripled during the past 13 years, according to a new survey.
The survey, conducted this autumn by research firm Respons for newspaper Aftenposten, found that 12 percent of those questioned now pay for housecleaning help. When state statistics bureau SSB asked the same question in 2000, only 3 percent of the respondents said they used paid cleaning services.
The level in 2000 had stood still since the 1970s, indicating a major change during the last decade. It may be attributed to growing affluence in Norway, higher household income and busy families with both parents working outside the home.
“We can afford more help, and we have less time to do the work ourselves,” said Professor Ola Honningsdal Grytten at the Bergen-based business school NHH.
newsinenglish.no staff
