British sex survey 2014: Over three-quarters of men watch porn, but women prefer erotica

Sexual behaviour survey also shows Britons are less satisfied than in 2008

Overall, 63 per cent are satisfied with their sex life, down from 76 per cent six years ago

In a recession you can comfort yourself with the fact that the best things in life are free – but if you count sex among them, it turns out that antics in the bedroom are not immune to a downturn.

People in the UK are having less sex than they were back in 2008, according to a new survey of British sexual behaviour carried out by The Observer.

But if we’re not doing it, we’re still watching – and reading – it.

More than half (56 per cent) of Britons watch online pornography at least occasionally and 15 per cent do so on a regular basis. However, there is a disparity between the sexes, with 76 per cent of men watching pornography on the internet, compared with just 36 per cent of women.

The tables are turned when it comes to reading erotica, including the likes of best-selling trilogy Fifty Shades of Grey. While 53 per cent of women read erotica at least occasionally, only 32 per cent of men can say the same.

Despite the nation’s dwindling sexual activity, the majority (72 per cent) of those who watch online porn said that they do not believe the practice impacts on their expectations of their sex life, although a link was found between increased porn use and higher expectations of sex.

Overall, just a third (34 per cent) of the population rate their sex life as above average, compared to 44 per cent in 2008, while 63 per cent are satisfied with their sex life, down from 76 per cent six years ago.