CASH-STRAPPED BRITS MORE SELFISH THAN EVER AS RECESSION BITES DEEPER

30 April 2012

We may be in the middle of a recession, but a new survey* has revealed that us Brits are as self-serving as ever, with one in ten admitting to becoming more selfish since the downturn first bit five years ago.

The study found that almost one in five Brits are more concerned with looking after number one when it comes to their eating habits in particular. Nearly a quarter of those surveyed confessed to never sharing food with friends or family members, with more than a third blaming this on ever-soaring food prices.

Those aged 18-24 were found to be the worst culprits when it comes to putting themselves first – one in ten admitted to always nabbing the larger piece when sharing food, with a small percentage even going to extreme lengths such as eating in private to avoid sharing in the first place.  

Nevertheless, Fudges, who commissioned the research exposing the selfish traits of modern Britain, is backing the camp of Brits who remain steadfast in their generosity, and claim to still share food at least once a week despite the tightening grip of the recession. The Dorset-based biscuit makers is launching a campaign designed to encourage even the most miserable amongst us to spend more time with friends and family by breaking a biccie. This is kicking off with the launch of a limited-edition biscuit ‘sharing tin’ later this year.

“I always think of Britain as a nation of sharers so it’s surprising to think that the reality is we’re just getting more selfish. The tradition of ‘breaking bread’ goes back thousands of years and is a way of expressing how the simple act of sharing food brings people together. Our campaign is designed to remind Britain to do just that… but, of course, with a biscuit,” said Steve Fudge, Managing Director of Fudges.

Pitting the nation against one another, the survey found that people in Wales are the least generous with their food, with one in three revealing that they never share a meal with friends or family either in or out of the home. Conversely, those in London and Northern Ireland are the nation’s biggest sharers, with more than two thirds sharing food at least once a week.

Meanwhile, while women did emerge as the more generous of the sexes, one in four confessed to feeling angry when people assume they can take things off their plate, compared to just one in three men.

*Research commissioned on behalf of Fudges by OnePoll (March 2012) 2,000 UK adults.