Brits are gearing up for crunch talks – as more than one in three have quibbled with someone about biscuits. A poll of 2,000 adults found 48 per cent of those who have clashed over the sweet treats did so because someone tucked into the second layer of “posh” ones in a tin, before the top layer had been finished.
Tensions bubbled under the surface for 44 per cent when the packet wasn’t sealed correctly – causing them to go stale before their time. And a fifth were shocked when a Ginger Nut was let loose in the biscuit tin, making all the others taste “gingery” – while 21 per cent have been dismayed after they climbed into bed to find crumbs between the sheets.
The research was commissioned by McVitie’s ahead of National Biscuit Day on Monday 29th May, to reveal the nation’s biscuit barneys. It also emerged 23 per cent of biscuit-lovers are so consumed by their favourite snack that they think about them more than their love lives.
And if they were in the early stages of a relationship, 13 per cent would consider calling time on it if they deemed their love interest to have “odd” biscuit behaviours.
Aslı Özen Turhan, from the leading biscuit baker, said: “We know our fans are passionate about their biscuits, and this can clearly lead to debate. Whether you’re a cup of tea and a biscuit in bed type of person, or you keep your chocolate biscuits in the fridge, we encourage the nation to enjoy our biscuits in their own individual ways.
“Clearly, the one thing we can agree on is that we all love settling down to enjoy a biscuit break.”
The research also found those who have argued about biscuits have an average of 24 heated discussions each year about the snacks. And it is their other half (37 per cent) and their kids (19 per cent) who are most likely to be in the firing line.
When looking at some of the more common arguments, 67 per cent think a cupboard is the best place to store biscuits – but 20 per cent will pop them in the fridge.
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And two in three are willing to risk cross-contamination with their biscuits by storing them loose in the same tub, while 24 per cent keep the different flavours separate. More than half (54 per cent) also believe the person who takes the last biscuit from the tin should be responsible for ensuring it is restocked.
But thankfully, six in ten don’t remember the last time their house was out of biscuits. It also emerged 43 per cent will put their foot down when it comes to eating the snack in bed – however, 34 per cent will happily let their partner nibble away in the boudoir.
And although heading straight to the second layer of the “posh” biscuits is the biggest cause of biscuit contention, 42 per cent still maintain it is an acceptable thing to do, according to the research conducted via OnePoll.
TOP 10 BISCUIT-RELATED ARGUMENTS
- When there's a box of “posh” biscuits and someone has taken the good ones from both layers, rather than finishing the top layer first
- Not sealing a packet of biscuits properly, making them go stale
- Taking the last of the biscuits and not replacing them
- Leaving one biscuit in the pack, all broken and crumbly
- Who left biscuit crumbs in the bed
- Because they had their own secret stash of biscuits
- Putting Ginger Nuts loose in the biscuit tin, making all the other biscuits taste of ginger
- Forgetting to add biscuits to the weekly food shop list
- Whether biscuits should be offered with a cup of tea as standard
- Whether to keep biscuits in the fridge or not
