Breakfast shortage costs UK economy £22bn, Express by Holiday Inn study reveals

The study was based on published research into the effects of eating breakfast on productivity collated for the study by statistician Dr. Geoff Ellis, and a survey into the habits of over 1,500 British workers. The research revealed that the equivalent of 923 million man hours is lost every year as a result of the UK workforce failing to eat a proper breakfast in the morning.

Statistician Dr. Geoff Ellis, who conducted the research, commented: "The research demonstrates a huge loss of productivity resulting from workers failing to fill up on fuel in the morning. Indeed, given that half of the people surveyed admitted to only having a partial breakfast (defined as a piece of toast, piece of fruit or a cereal bar) the actual effects of people skipping a proper breakfast may be far greater."

The survey was conducted for Express by Holiday Inn, which provides free breakfasts to guests. The study showed that over 1 in 10 (13%) Brits never eat breakfast during the working week, whilst around 27m (45% of the population) people fail to eat a proper meal in the morning.

British workers might not be eating a regular breakfast but they do recognise the benefits of eating well in the morning - seventy three per cent are more alert in the morning when they've enjoyed a proper breakfast.

The survey identifies a ‘brain freeze' suffered by those who fail to eat breakfast in the morning. Nearly one in three of those who fail to eat breakfast (33%) take over an hour to wake up - with over ten per cent taking more than two hours.

Nearly half of those surveyed lack energy (46%) on the days when they have missed their morning meal; over one in three respondents (36%) say that they feel tired and over a quarter (28%) state they suffer from a lack of concentration. Tellingly, once again a quarter admit to being less productive (25%) without breakfast and one in five reveal they are unable to do their job properly (20%).

Nutritionist Fiona Hunter commented: "These findings confirm that a good healthy breakfast sets you up for the rest of the day which is why many nutritionists really do consider it to be the most important daily meal." 
 
Further findings from the survey summarised below:

•  Men vs. women: 44% of females claim to suffer from light-headedness after missing breakfast; for men the figure is significantly lower at 22%.
• Younger generation vs. older generation: Perhaps surprisingly, the over 55 age group are less likely to feel a lack of energy (35%) compared to the 16-24 demographic (57%) if they miss breakfast.
• Londoners need breakfast for increased productivity: The survey results suggest a proper breakfast is essential for London life - a whopping 43% of Londoners survey admit to being less productive without breakfast, compared to the national average of 25% and only 19% in Yorkshire.
• No time for breakfast: Clearly many Brits feel that they do not have time to eat breakfast in the morning. One in three (33%) claimed if they had an extra 15 minutes in the morning, they would spend the time eating breakfast.
• Rushing breakfast: The survey examined the length of time taken to enjoy breakfast in the morning. Of those who eat some form of breakfast, nearly half have crammed their breakfast down in less than five minutes. Once again, the younger respondents were the quickest to consume breakfast in the morning with 57% of 16-25 age group admitting to eating breakfast in under five minutes compared to 35% of the over 55's.
• Breakfast at work: A quarter of the 25-34 age group choose to eat breakfast on the go or at work.
• Missing breakfast leads to unhealthy snacking: The survey shone a light on the negative dietary impact on those who missed breakfast. Of those surveyed who had failed to eat breakfast, over half would compensate by eating unhealthy food including biscuits (23%), chocolate (21%) or crisps (11%) for an energy boost with only one in four choosing fruit (26%). The survey indicates that nearly three quarters of the younger generation (16-24 demographic) are guilty of replacing breakfast with an unhealthy snack option later in the day (74%). 

Fiona Hunter added: "Aside from the well documented effects on mental alertness, other research shows that people who skip breakfast are more likely to be overweight and describe themselves as stressed, and also more likely to suffer from colds." 

Jane Bednall, spokesperson for Express by Holiday Inn, said: "In these tough economic times, business travellers need to stay ahead of the game by eating a proper breakfast. We strongly believe that by offering our guests breakfast for free, there are no excuses not to get off to the best start to the day."

For further information, please contact:

Rich Turner     
Henry's House     
T:  020 7291 3021    
M:  07711 021026    
E:  [email protected]   

Nicola Formoy
Henry's House
T:  020 7291 3049
M:  07879 636463
E:  [email protected]

Notes to Editors:

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