Cosmetics were the most popular ‘luxury Desert Island item’ among over 1,000 of our British panellists when we asked what they’d have with them if they were stranded. The next most popular items were food or drink, and a laptop or iPhone with internet connection.
- 17% of respondents opted for a cosmetic product such as moisturiser, sun cream, shampoo or a hairbrush
- 13% would rather have some kind of food or drink for their stay on the island, including crisps, pick-n-mix sweets, chocolate and hot buttered toast
- 11% preferred technology, choosing to have a laptop or mobile phone with Internet access
- Of those asked, 9% prioritised comfort and went for pillows, duvets and beds, and one person even specified ‘clean linen sheets’
The question of what you would take to a desert island as a ‘luxury’ was popularised by the BBC Radio 4 programme Desert Island Discs, which first broadcast in 1942 and is the second longest-running radio programme of all time. Each week a famous guest is asked to envision themselves on a desert island and to choose the eight songs, book and luxury item they would want to take with them. The programme then explores the reasons for their choices, often revealing a lot about the person’s life in the process. What, then, do our panellists’ choices say about them?
- 17% - Cosmetics
- 13% - Food & drink
- 11% - Computer/laptop/iPhone/internet
- 9% - Comfort ‘items’
- 8% - Alcohol
- 7% - Chocolate
- 4% - Knives
- 4% - Radio
- 3% - Musical Instrument
- 3% - Vehicles, such as boats (to escape off the island?)
