British adults more likely to buy unhealthy food when shopping while hungry, survey claims

Shopping on empty stomach can lead to rash decisions

More than half of respondents said they are more likely to fall for special offers if they are hungry (Getty Images/iStockphoto)

People are more likely to buy larger portions, fall for special offers and grab unhealthy food they can eat straight away if they go shopping while hungry, according to a new poll.

A study of 2,000 British adults revealed that an empty stomach meant people were more likely to make rash decisions.

More than half of those polled believed they were more likely to reach for special offers and food they can eat immediately and almost a third admitted that they buy larger packets than usual if they are hungry.

Despite spending an average of 19 minutes planning a food shop every week, four in 10 admitted that they deviate from their list if they go to the shops with an empty stomach.

Those deviations cost an extra £11.03 per shop - an increase of almost 20 per cent on the standard weekly shop of £55.57 – according to the survey.

This could add up to an extra £574 a year, on top of a food bill of £2,890.

“Shopping when you're hungry and in a rush can be stressful, and our research shows that it can lead to mindlessly buying too much that you have to later throw away," said a spokesperson from HelloFresh, which commissioned the poll. “Alternatively, this action of dropping all dinner plans can mean many Britons are reaching for unhealthy options they’d never intended to buy.

“Even if we plan on eating healthily, heading to the shops while we’re peckish can hamper even the best intended efforts.”

Chocolate, crisps and cakes were found to be the most enticing foods, as more than one-third of those polled were more likely to buy them when hungry.

One in six respondents also reported that they feel stressed out when trying to resist their cravings at the supermarket.

In an attempt to curb their extra spending, half of respondents said they make a list before they go food shopping.

Laurent Guillemain, CEO of HelloFresh UK, said: “ Our customers can choose from 19 recipes each week and have the fresh ingredients delivered to their door so they can cook delicious dinners they want to eat. HelloFresh makes sorting dinner easy and helps people avoid wasting time, money and extra food when they hit the shops hungry and in a hurry.”

SWNS