Doom Shopping: Welsh Shoppers Spend £1.26bn Per Week During Lockdown To Have Something To Look Forward To

UK shoppers are tap happy in lockdown, as new research reveals Brits are spending £1.26bn every week on doom shopping to help boost their mood.

The new study from leading savings site, VoucherCodes.co.uk, highlights that online shopping is giving Brits an escape from the monotony of lockdown, helping to improve their happiness when packages arrive. Excluding supermarket spend, the average Brit splurges £49 a week online – with almost half (47%) admitting to shopping purely to give themselves something to look forward to and 21% admitting that getting deliveries brings them joy.

Additionally, over two in five (42%) buy things they want rather than need because it makes them feel happy, while 11% say it gives them a rush of adrenaline. Plus, 16% even go as far as saying that they think splashing the cash improves their mental health. Those in Leeds are most likely to report an improvement in their mental wellbeing after a spot of online retail therapy, followed by shoppers in the capital.

But it’s not all about mood-boosting, it seems that boredom-busting is also a prime influence when it comes to online shopping, with almost a quarter of UK adults (23%) hitting virtual shop floors to while away some idle lockdown hours. Seeing items on social media (12%) and making the most of deals by using voucher codes (11%) are two other top reasons Brits are splashing the cash during lockdown.

However, there are also some who feel a sense of guilt from the amount of shopping they do (18%) and over one in ten say it makes them worry about money (11%). Almost a third are also finding themselves more easily influenced into spending by social media during lockdown (30%).

Almost three quarters of Brits admit to spending more money online during lockdown than they normally would (73%). Millennials are revealed as the real big spenders, placing over two online orders a week on average, equating to £256 per month. Baby boomers, on the other hand, spend £146 per month, the lowest amount of any age group.

Anita Naik, Lifestyle Editor at VoucherCodes.co.uk, commented: “Lockdown is, unsurprisingly, taking its toll. While many are struggling financially, others may find that they have more disposable income than normal due to lack of commuter costs, and not being able to go out to shops, restaurants and other attractions.

“So, it’s interesting to see from the research that many are turning to shopping to give them the happiness hits that are lacking in our daily lives at the moment – and in some cases are even feeling an improvement in mental health.

“Whilst it’s clear online shopping can help us feel happier and give us a much-needed boost, it’s important not to spend beyond your means. Finding the best deal will help keep your bank balance happy, so if you are shopping online, downloading a free browser extension such as DealFinder from VoucherCodes will help make sure you get the best price. It automatically finds and applies the best discount codes and is a quick and easy way to make sure you get the most out of your money.”