SOUTH BRUNSWICK, N.J., Aug. 21, 2001 -- With all of the pre-vacation excitement and preparation, it is understandable why travelers forget to pack certain items. According to a recent poll by National Research, Inc., the products most frequently forgotten include shampoo (49 percent) and toothpaste (38 percent) followed by film (36 percent), pain relievers (35 percent) and razors (35 percent).

Who are the biggest "forgetters"?

Younger individuals are more likely to forget to pack items, according to the research. In particular, men ages 18-44 are most likely (54 percent) to forget while older men are least likely (23 percent) to do so.

The survey found that men and women are equally likely to forget to pack some items. In fact, 50 percent of men ages 18-44 admit to forgetting items while 48 percent of females in the same age group also report doing so. Memory may indeed increase with age as only 25 percent of men and 29 percent of women age 45 and over admit to forgetting.

"When preparing for vacation, travelers have a lot on their mind. It's likely that many vacationers will forget items at home," said Brian F. Martin, president of Market Connections International of Montclair, NJ. Martin's firm offers brands the ability to reach more than 18 million of these "forgetters" through cooperative sampling programs targeting consumers in a variety of different venues including Carnival Cruise Lines, ski, golf, national parks and Orlando hotels/resorts.

The phone survey of 1000 adults (age 18 and over) was conducted using a random digit dial (RDD) method of telephone number selection to ensure that every household phone exchange, even unlisted ones, had an equal chance of being dialed. The margin of error for the study is plus or minus 3.1 percent at the 95 percent confidence interval. The survey was stratified by state based on current census data.