Research has revealed clumsy Brits subject themselves to 100 drinks spillages, food mishaps or trips every year.
I’m sure we all know someone who manages to trip up while standing still – I think these are the people who have made our collective average number of mishaps so high.
If you’re that person, I’m not saying it’s all your fault. Just partly.
Researchers carried out a detailed study which revealed one quarter of the population have spilled a hot drink all over their desk at work, 40 per cent have left the house with toothpaste on their top, and a third have had a yoghurt squirt on them after opening it.
To be fair, I understand the yoghurt thing. The yoghurt companies should really do something to stop their product exploding out when you take the lid off.
Other people in the study admitted to regularly spilling drinks in the car, knocking over glasses of wine and falling up or down the stairs, though it seems some people have more bad luck than others.
One respondent admitted to their clumsiest moment, which saw them spill a tray of six coffees all over their new, pristine white flooring.
Another admitted to dropping a curry ready meal in the supermarket, while the clumsiness of others lead to food and drink spillages on a romantic date.
Not a great way to make a first impression.
The research was commissioned by Plenty to mark the launch of its Handy Towels.
A spokesperson for the company said:
Spillages are an everyday part of life.
Often, they’re not our fault – sometimes a rogue child’s toy or pet can get underfoot at the exact wrong moment sending food and drink flying, necessitating a quick clean-up.
There’s nothing worse than being caught out and not having a convenient product to help clean up, which is why we’ve come up with the solution in new Handy Towels.
If you’re the type of person who often finds themselves covered in spilled food or drink, then the other tales of woe revealed in this study will probably make you feel better.
One unfortunate woman came home to enjoy a classic fish and chip dinner, but instead accidentally shook a full bottle of ketchup over herself and the sofa.
Another poor soul gave their child a cup of hot chocolate, only to have them empty it over a box full of toys which had been neatly packed away.
To be fair, a child with hot chocolate is an accident waiting to happen.
At least people are honest about their clumsiness though, because the study found four in 10 Brits are happy to admit they’re not to be trusted when carrying food or drinks as they’re likely to spill them.
A fifth of the population have also had a packed lunch leak all over their bag on their way to work, and haven’t had anything to hand to quickly clear it up.
The problem might lie in the hands of poor time management, as for 63 per cent of the 2,000 Brits who took part the spills are most likely to happen when they’re in a rush.
Shockingly, the average adult estimates their clumsiness costs them a total of around £2,000 in wasted meals and dropped drinks over their lifetime.
Being careful could quite literally pay off.
57 per cent of those studied have been left feeling embarrassed after a spillage or a clumsy moment, with four in 10 having had occasions where they struggled to deal with the aftermath of a spill.
The research, carried out via OnePoll.com, also found people are most likely to spill something in the living room, followed by the dinner table and then at the workplace.
The spokesperson added:
We understand mess is made all over the house, in the garden, even in the car.
We’re really excited to launch this innovative, new format of household towel in a convenient box that can be used whenever and wherever you need it.
The top clumsy moments include smashing crockery, slipping on ice, cutting yourself shaving, falling up or down stairs, tripping over a pet (probably an unsympathetic cat), bumping your car into something and splashing water on your crotch.
It’s a hard life.
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Emily Brown first began delivering important news stories aged just 13, when she launched her career with a paper round. She graduated with a BA Hons in English Language in the Media from Lancaster University, and went on to become a freelance writer and blogger. Emily contributed to The Sunday Times Travel Magazine and Student Problems before becoming a journalist at UNILAD, where she works on breaking news as well as longer form features.