Nine out of ten Britons made it through lockdown thanks to a spot of retail therapy – but thousands who splashed out on hot tubs and pizza ovens are now regretting their purchases, research shows.
During the pandemic we spent on average more than £1,200 each at a collective cost of £57.6billion. But £6.6billion worth of these purchases are no longer used.
Most regrettable impulse buys are home gym equipment and gaming devices.
A third of adults have regretted buying a hot-tub for their relaxation, while one in 20 said they did.
One in twenty adults purchased a hot tub to relax, but 36% of those who did regret it (stock photo)
One-eighth of us bought an instrument. But, this was a disappointing result for 37% of buyers. Data from the How We Live Report shows that a third of respondents had recently purchased a tablet or smartphone. Thirty percent regretted making this decision.
Eight per cent of consumers never even used their new items, which included bread-makers and scooters, while another nine per cent used them at first – but they’re now gathering dust. More than half of the population bought new clothes or shoes, which were less expensive.
25% of respondents blamed their inability to spend more time at work or wanted to be happier for the spending spree.
Nicola Charles of Aviva Insurance, who polled 4,000 adults said that many people made entertainment purchases, sometimes costing thousands or hundreds of pounds.
Adam Peaty, an Olympic swimmer and Strictly contestant was given a Jacuzzi spa to continue his training in his backyard in 2020.
Others were the necessity of new equipment and increased disposable income, as well as missing out on socialising and holidays.
Ms Charles said, “So much has changed from the beginning of 2020.
“How we do business, interact with people… and it appears that our homes are affected too.”
But, regrets of buyers are not evident to be shared by everyone.
Adam Peaty (Olympic swimmer, Strictly judge) was presented with a Jacuzzi swimming spa for 2020 in order to keep training in his garden.
After his summer success in Tokyo, Peaty moved to a larger home and now enjoys two hot tubs in the back yard.
During the pandemic we spent on average more than £1,200 each at a collective cost of £57.6billion. But £6.6billion worth of these purchases are no longer used (stock image)