Half of Brits snack in secret at the office

New research shows almost half of UK employees keep their workplace snack habits a secret from their partners.

A survey by IronmongeryDirect shows 47% don’t tell their significant others about their eating habits, while a fifth lie about their snack and meal choices at work. Some (34%) even go so far as to bring in a healthy option but ditch it for a more indulgent treat instead. And despite feelings of guilt, 67% said they use sugary snacks to boost their energy levels.

The good news is only 35% of respondents indulge in unhealthy treats on a daily basis, compared to 74% who only submit to temptation once a week.

The research follows comments by the Faculty of Dental Surgery, who said more needs to be done to end the “workplace cake culture” in the UK, blaming office treats for health problems among employees. Giving credence to this comment, the survey asked workers what their favourite elevenses snacks are and revealed we truly are a nation of unhealthy eaters.

Half of respondents said a bacon sandwich is their snack of choice, followed closely by biscuits (44%), crisps (36%), sweets (34%) and pastries (21%).

Wayne Lysaght-Mason, Managing Director of IronmongeryDirect said: “The workplace can be a minefield of food temptations and despite best intentions, indulgent treats can replace healthy ones. Our sweet and savoury snacks then become secret and not shared with our partners. However, we want to champion our best loved snack and find the best place in the UK to get a bacon butty.”

The company has launched a nationwide search alongside the research to find Britian’s Best Bacon Butty, with submissions entered via the company’s social media channels.