Brits spend eight and a half months in supermarkets throughout their lives

BRITS will spend the equivalent of eight-and-a-half months of their lives in supermarkets – despite it leaving them feeling bored and impatient. A study of 2,000 adults found they typically visit stores three times a week, spending just over 37 minutes there each time. This amounts to nearly two hours a week or the equivalent […]

BRITS will spend the equivalent of eight-and-a-half months of their lives in supermarkets – despite it leaving them feeling bored and impatient.

A study of 2,000 adults found they typically visit stores three times a week, spending just over 37 minutes there each time.

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UK adults typically visit supermarkets three times a week, the study found[/caption]

This amounts to nearly two hours a week or the equivalent of more than four whole days a year.

A further 22 minutes is spent simply driving to and from the shop on each visit during a typical seven-day period.

An average of 19 products are purchased during each trip, which then take 11 minutes to put away once at home – amounting to 186,732 items purchased over the typical adult lifetime.

The study, commissioned by Bother, a smart shopping service for next day delivery of cupboard basics, also found that the most popular time to visit a supermarket is 12:53 on Saturdays.

And with each shop costing £53.85, the average adult will part with nearly £529,238 on groceries over their lifetime.

Douglas Morton, founder of Bother said: “Supermarket shopping is a chore Brits spend far too long doing, from making lists and remembering items, to driving and parking, walking up and down aisles and then having to lug it all home.

“And most people aren’t convinced online supermarkets are any better either.

“We think there’s a smarter way that’s better for people and planet.”

The study also revealed the nation’s biggest supermarket shopping bugbears – including slow walkers and forgetting an item you had specifically gone shopping for.

Long queues, supermarket layouts making it difficult to find items, and people not moving out the way also leave consumers riled, the OnePoll study revealed.

Struggling to find staff members to help you, spillages, too much noise, and feeling pressured to pack bags really fast also make food shopping something that millions of Brits find boring, irritating or tiring.

And when it comes to online shopping, having substitute items delivered (33%), items being out of stock (32%) and struggling to get a delivery spot (23%) were among the most annoying features.

Bother has teamed-up with former Big Brother contestant, Brian Dowling, who famously got into trouble in shopping tasks, for the Brian vs the Big Bother Brain challenge to show how smart shopping services can make shopping for basics quicker and easier.

Top ten supermarket shopping bugbears

1. Long queues
2. New layouts that mean you can’t find anything
3. People not moving out of the way
4. Other customers getting too close in the queue/ aisles
5. Lack of stock
6. Slow walkers
7. Forgetting to buy an item
8. Wonky trolley wheels
9. ‘Unexpected item in the bagging area’ when using a self-checkout till
10. Other customers taking ages to make a decision while you’re waiting

Top 10 online shopping bugbears

• Having ‘substitute’ items delivered that you dislike
• Items being out of stock
• Items not turning up
• Struggling to get a delivery slot
• Not being able to get a delivery slot that’s convenient
• Unable to find items online
• ‘Search’ not resulting in the item you want
• Having to pay more for a peak delivery time slot
• Order not being delivered with carrier bags, meaning you have to carry every item in from the boxes individually
• It takes ages to find what you want to buy