The Great Unwashed – Almost Half of Welsh People Admit They Don’t Shower Everyday

Almost half of people from Wales (46%) admit they don’t shower every day and have no plans to wash more frequently even as life begins to return to ‘normal’, findings from a new study reveal.

Research from leading savings site VoucherCodes.co.uk shows how far hygiene standards have slipped since the first lockdown began on 23^rd March 2020 and how much Brits are planning to spend on their appearance and personal hygiene as they reintegrate back into society.

Relationship status can impact how often people lather up with singletons are the dirtiest bunch with over half (54%) admitting they don’t wash every day. In comparison to 42% of those in relationships, 49% of people who live with their partner and 46% of married couples.

However, before you point the finger at the Welsh, take a look at the stats across the whole of the UK – across the country, findings show those in Leeds take the fewest showers per week (4.5). This is followed closely by Plymouth (4.6) and Brighton & Hove, Sheffield and Leicester (all 4.8).

Top UK cities where residents have the fewest showers per week 

Showering isn’t the only thing Brits are slacking on. When it comes to dental hygiene, nearly a quarter (23%) of people admit they only brush their teeth once a day. Men are the worst offenders for skipping a second brush with only 59% brushing twice daily in comparison to 68% of women. The data also shows that over 8.5 million people (13%) don’t even brush their teeth at least once per day, favouring a few times per week.²

Hygiene habits aren’t the only thing that has slipped. Over two in five people (41%) have recently eaten out of a pan or food container to save on washing up. Moving to the bedroom, nearly half (45%) wash their bed sheets once every two weeks or less, which is significantly less than the recommended once per week.

Despite standards slipping since the start of the pandemic, the data shows that many people are willing to give up their bad ‘lockdown habits’ as normality resumes, with more than half (55%) saying they’ll care more about the way they look as they start spending more time with friends and family.

Over one in five (22%) are worried about seeing loved ones as they have put on weight in lockdown, and as 21^st June approaches, nearly a third (32%) say they will spend more money on their appearance than before the pandemic hit. More than a fifth (21%) are planning to have their hair done before seeing friends and family so they can look and feel their best, and consumers predict they’ll fork out £393 on their appearance on average in the first month of lockdown easing.

Anita Naik, Lifestyle Editor at VoucherCodes.co.uk, commented: “After a year spent predominantly indoors, this research shows the unusual impact the pandemic has had on our personal hygiene and the bad habits we’ve slipped into during this time.

“As we transition into a new ‘normal’ it’s natural that people will focus their attention on their appearance, and the fact that consumers plan to spend nearly £400 on the way they look shows this is front of mind for many. While you might want to go on a bit of a spending spree for things like new clothes and beauty treatments, it’s always a good idea to shop around for the best price. An effort-free way to always get the best deal is by installing DealFinder by VoucherCodes, a free online browser extension that automatically finds you the best deals every time you shop online.”