We may not be a nation known for producing especially good chocolate (although we beg to differ), but Brits are certainly big fans of consuming the stuff (only 2% say they ‘never’ eat chocolate). To celebrate National Chocolate Week this week, we took a look at a recent YouGov SixthSense report to see if Britain really is a nation of chocoholics.
Chocoholism?
- 7% say they 'have to eat chocolate everyday
- While 13% always keep 'an emergency stash' and 31% say that once they've started a bar, they 'just have to finish it'.
- 36% of the population say they eat chocolate to satisfy a craving, reinforcing the concept of chocolate as an addiction.
- Women are more likely to admit craving chocolate than men, with an average of 27% of men saying they do this compared to an average of 49% of women.
- However, this tendency diminishes with age, as 62% of women aged 16 to 24 are the most likely to eat chocolate to satisfy a craving, compared to just 30% of those over 55.
- Just 3% of the total population say that they 'don't really like chocolate'.
TV and chocolate
- 90% of the population say they eat chocolate at home, compared to 41% at work/school/college and 25% while travelling.
- 57% of people associated eating chocolate with watching television, with women aged 25+ particularly likely to curl up in front of the TV with a chocolate bar (63%).
- Four in ten people say they eat chocolate as a treat in the afternoon, while a further 22% say they eat it just after lunch.
Choosing chocolate
When it comes to choosing chocolate, it appears we like to stick to what we know.
- 80% of the population mentioned ‘a brand I like’ as the most important factor when selecting their treat.
- 32% of the population say they stick to eating one kind of chocolate.
- However, there seems to be some among the public who appreciate the finer side of chocolate. Just 15% of respondents agree that ‘it’s quantity not quality that matters’, while 66% say ‘it’s better to have a little bit of something that tastes really good.’
Chocolate Week 2010 provides budding chocolate connoisseurs with a chance to broaden their chocolate palette, with a range of events across the UK. To find an event near you, check out chocolate-week.co.uk.
See more on the YouGov SixthSense Chocolate confectionery market report
