MORE THAN HALF OF BRITS SAY THEY DISCONNECT FROM THE REAL WORLD WHEN ON THEIR PHONES

New research released today by Clas Ohlson shines a light on Britain’s rising obsession with mobile phones. The A Better Home Report from the brand explores how phone usage impacts our relationships with loved ones, including partners and children.

Phones in Everyday Life & The Home

Over half (52%) of Brits say they become “unaware of their surroundings” while on their phone, which means we’re not paying attention a lot of the time. Almost a quarter (25%) of Brits say that their phone is the first thing they look for in the mornings, and over a third (34%) of Brits say that using their phones is the last thing they do before they sleep each night.

A whopping half (51%) of Brits have missed key goings on due to being distracted by their phone – such as key moments in a film or TV show (27%), or someone asking them a question (25%).

One in five Brits (21%) say they express themselves better with the use of emojis over real words, whilst over one in ten (12%) will only say ‘I love you’ via text. Meanwhile, 1 in 10 (10%) pet owners have admitted to seeing signs of jealousy displayed from their animals when they are busy on their phones.

Romantic Relationships

Over a third (41%) of Brits in relationships would rather spend time on their phone than with their partner before bed, showing that phone usage is putting up barriers in relationships.

Over a quarter (29%) of Brits say that mobile phone usage has caused arguments in relationships, while most surprisingly those in relationships (53%) are more likely to be on their phones in bed at night than singletons (40%).

Parental Relationships

The research reveals that over half (53%) of parents with children under 18 admit to regularly keeping their children occupied with phones. Almost a quarter (23%) of parents with children aged over 18 have confessed to also using technology to distract their kids, despite them being young adults.

Clas Ohlson is helping customers get the most out of their time spent together at home with families and friends, with a range of tips and tricks as part of its A Better Home campaign, as well as bringing together a Quality Time range. For more info visit: https://www.clasohlson.com/uk/