DOOM SCROLLING OR DOOM SHOPPING? ALMOST HALF OF BRITS ADMIT TO ONLINE SHOPPING TO BOOST THEIR MOOD

UK shoppers are tap happy in lockdown, as new research reveals Brits are spending £1.26bn^[1] every week on doom shopping to help boost their mood.

The new study from leading savings site, VoucherCodes.co.uk, highlights that online shopping is giving Brits an escape from the monotony of lockdown, helping to improve their happiness when packages arrive. Excluding supermarket spend, the average Brit splurges £49 a week online – with almost half (47%) admitting to shopping purely to give themselves something to look forward to and 21% admitting that getting deliveries brings them joy.

Additionally, over two in five (42%) buy things they want rather than need because it makes them feel happy, while 11% say it gives them a rush of adrenaline. Plus, 16% even go as far as saying that they think splashing the cash improves their mental health. Those in Leeds are most likely to report an improvement in their mental wellbeing after a spot of online retail therapy, followed by shoppers in the capital.

Top ten cities in which residents feel their mental health is improved by treating themselves:

But it’s not all about mood-boosting, it seems that boredom-busting is also a prime influence when it comes to online shopping, with almost a quarter of UK adults (23%) hitting virtual shop floors to while away some idle lockdown hours. Seeing items on social media (12%) and making the most of deals by using voucher codes (11%) are two other top reasons Brits are splashing the cash during lockdown.

However, there are also some who feel a sense of guilt from the amount of shopping they do (18%) and over one in ten say it makes them worry about money (11%). Almost a third are also finding themselves more easily influenced into spending by social media during lockdown (30%).

Almost three quarters of Brits admit to spending more money online during lockdown than they normally would (73%). Millennials are revealed as the real big spenders, placing over two online orders a week on average, equating to £256 per month. Baby boomers, on the other hand, spend £146 per month, the lowest amount of any age group.