Stereotypical image of white van man is a myth

New research conducted by Express Insurance suggests the age-old stereotype of the 'White Van Man' is outdated, and no longer reflects the typical van driver. White van man is no longer a fry-up-eating, tabloid-reading, cigarette-smoking middle-aged Brit.

A poll of more than 1,000 van drivers showed that almost 40% visit the gym at least once a month while 74% would not consider themselves overweight. Just 8% have a fry-up for breakfast compared to 44% who prefer cereal.

White Van Man 2009 has also emerged as a bit of a techno-fan with laptops being the favourite gadget. 8% own an iPhone and 4% have BlackBerrys.

The survey found that while European holiday destinations were still popular, an increasing number visit America, Africa, the Caribbean, Asia and the Middle East.

Spending time with their families rated as the favourite pastime of drivers, followed by watching and playing sport and listening to music. Some things are as expected, with football being the favoured sport ahead of rugby.

Tony Ward, Express Insurance managing director, says: "The results show that time has softened the stereotypes of old. The fact that the pub didn't even register on the favourite pastime list shows just how 'White Van Man' has become more cultured over the past decade.