Poll reveals Brits' dirty shopping secret
Almost a quarter of adults across the UK have shopped online while on the toilet, according to a new survey.
Ahead of Black Friday, online research from AOL, in conjunction with YouGov, found that 23% of men and women flick through web pages in search of goods while on the loo.
This was as high as 44% for those aged between 25 and 34. Millennials aged between 18 and 24 came in at 35% just ahead of those aged 35 to 44 (33%).
Men are more likely than women to shop on the loo, with 27% admitting to shopping online during this time, compared with 20% of women. The Midlands and Northern Ireland had the highest number of toilet shoppers, both with 28%.
Who said romance was dead? Half of UK adults revealed they had shopped online while in bed. This was highest among those who have never been married (60%) - maybe their shopping habits have impacted their love lives!
The research could also suggest that adults across the UK are time poor, with more than one in three (34%) having shopped online while they're at work, with men being more guilty than women (36% and 31% respectively). This was as high as around one in every two adults aged between 35 to 44 at 53%.
'Smartphones have clearly changed the way we consume content'
More than a quarter of millennials aged 25-34 could be finding it difficult to stick to one task, with 30% saying they shop online while they're out with friends. Nearly one in six (16%) of this age group admitted to shopping online while at a party.
Tristan Anthony, Senior Manager, AOL UK Homepages, said: "It is interesting to see that the bathroom has become one of the most popular places for millennials to shop online. Smartphones have clearly changed the way we consume content and are now replacing books and magazines in the bathroom, as consumers choose instead to browse and shop online while in the bathroom. There is no doubt that we'll see a peak in activity as we head into Black Friday and Cyber Monday."
Other interesting findings from the online research include:
- Most people have browsed for shopping while watching TV at 62%
- More than a third of Londoners (34%) have shopped online on the train
- Women are more likely than men to shop while on the phone with someone, with almost one in four (23%) having done so compared with only 15% of men
All figures, unless otherwise stated, are from YouGov Plc. Total sample size was 2,147 adults. Fieldwork was undertaken on June 15 and 16, 2015. The survey was carried out online. The figures have been weighted and are representative of all UK adults (aged 18+). Respondents were asked "Which, if any, of the following places have you ever browsed online to shop, on a smartphone, tablet, or computer"?
