A survey of office workers across the UK has revealed that more than a third buy sandwiches in their lunch hour, rather than making their own.
On average workers are spending around £3 on sandwiches every day, with some spending up to £5.
Around half of those surveyed say they sometimes buy a drink with their sandwich, adding another one or two pounds to the cost.
The research called ‘Lunch in the Credit Crunch’, on behalf of www.nigelsecostore.com, also revealed that three times the number of women make their own sandwiches compared to men.
Nigel Berman, founder of www.nigelsecostore.com, said: “With around 240 working days in the year, lunchtimes are making a huge dent in salaries and some people are spending over £25 a week. But because people are spending a small amount every day, they don’t think about the cost over the year and it can really add up. The research shows that the average spend is around a staggering £1,000 a year.”
Just over 66 per cent of the workers surveyed claimed that they always make their own sandwiches.
Of those who buy sandwiches, 25 per cent said they always recycle the packaging, with 54 per cent sometimes recycling. The remainder, around 20 per cent, never recycle the packaging.
The survey also asked people what would encourage them to make their own. Around 20 per cent said they could be persuaded if there was a large cost saving and a similar number said they would make their own if they had a way of transporting them easily.
Interestingly, just over 24 per cent said they would make their own if they had some good ideas for fillings.
Making your own sandwiches can help the planet, especially if you re-use the foil or cling film. There are also solutions like a reusable sandwich wrapper called Wrap n Mat which costs £4.99 from www.nigelsecostore.com. The Wrap n Mat helps commuters transport sandwiches easily and means you don’t have to use foil or plastic. It is washable and the cotton wrapper acts as a placemat.
According to health experts, as well as helping to save hundreds of pounds a year, home-made sandwiches can be better for you.
