Collection of Argos catalogues shows changes in buying habits

Professor Leigh Sparks. Picture: John Devlin

They are a mainstay of the UK's shopping tradition and offer a fascinating insight into consumer shopping habits over the decades.

Now a professor has revealed that he is the owner of what is believed to be the UK’s only entire private collection of Argos catalogues – dating back more than 40 years.

Professor Leigh Sparks, head of the retail studies department at Stirling University, has every catalogue produced from 1973 to the present day.

The academic plans to write a book on the catalogues, which he said are a unique look at how products and buying habits have changed over the years.

He was approached a few years ago by a man who had been instructed by his wife to clear out their attic – and was about to put his collection of catalogues on a bonfire.

“It was serendipitous,” said Prof Sparks. “He had built up a collection over 25 years or so and contacted me because he had heard we had a retail studies department at Stirling. I was immediately intrigued.