In a blow for restaurants and rose sellers everywhere, new research commissioned by blinkbox suggests that Valentine’s Day may be losing its allure as nearly half (42 per cent) of Brits declare it the most ‘overrated’ night out of the calendar year, ahead of New Year’s Eve, Christmas and birthday celebrations.
The sentiment was echoed equally by both men and women, with the findings also revealing that 45 per cent of Brits are opting for a night in this Valentine’s Day with the majority (36 per cent) planning a special meal cooked by their partner followed by a movie. Ten per cent are planning on spending Valentine’s Day with their friends rather than their partners and 2 per cent will be spending the evening flirting on social networking sites.
Those aged 45 – 55 were most likely to have a night out while those staying in are mostly in the 16 – 44 age group indicating that for the young at least, staying in for the most romantic day of the year is the new going out.
In a surprising turn of events, it also appears that Brits are not bothered about receiving lavish Valentine’s Day gifts this year. Nearly 60 per cent of men and 40 per cent of women claimed they would be happy not to receive anything at all from their partners or an admirer. 30 per cent would still like to receive a card, whereas 12 per cent would be happy with an e-card or text message. Just 2 per cent said they would expect the full works of flowers and a present on the day.
And it appears that the most romantic day of the year doesn’t stop Brits from misbehaving. 10% of men admitted they have given a Valentine’s card to someone other than their partner on Valentine’s Day, whilst a cheeky 6 per cent of British men have gone as far as to kiss someone other than their partner. Women didn’t misbehave to the same level as their male counterparts, with 8 per cent admitting to sending a card to someone other than their partner and 3 per cent kissing someone else.
To help get Valentine’s Day back on track, blinkbox has created the world’s first aphrodisiac popcorn, designed to spice things up for the increasing number of us opting for a night in. blinkbox spokesman Ben Ayers comments: “Most of us can identify with a nightmare evening out with overpriced and overcrowded restaurants, dodgy singers and that awkward moment when you’re offered an overpriced, sorry looking red rose. It seems Brits are really beginning to favour a night in where they’re able to eat and do what they want.
“We’re worried that Valentine’s Day is losing its appeal altogether so we’ve come to the rescue with our aphrodisiac popcorn. It’s a fun alternative to complement a night in with a movie….and it might even help to keep those misbehaving partners in check!”
Popcorn guru Antoine Gourdon from Cheeky Frog comments: “Studies have shown that ginger and Ginseng root are powerful aphrodisiacs. Ginseng has an earthy and bitter flavour to it which is perfectly offset by the spiciness of the ginger and the richness and creaminess of the chocolate. Chocolate contains serotonin, a chemical that makes the brain happy, leading to affectionate behaviour, as well as phenylethylamine, a chemical associated with love.”
Those who follow blinkbox on Twitter and want to put the aphrodisiac qualities of the playful popcorn to the test, can get their hands on some by tweeting @blinkbox with details of who they’d share it with & why. For Valentine’s Day entertainment new customers can deposit just £1 and get £5 of credit free to enjoy the latest movies months before they become available on subscription services. Customers can pay for what they want to watch without being tied to a monthly subscription.
Notes to editors
blinkbox used the independent online research company Censuswide.com who surveyed 1,619 Brits aged 16 and over, between 23rd January and 4th February 2013.
About blinkbox
blinkbox has the latest TV and blockbuster movies to watch instantly without subscription. The service offers thousands of quality titles on a growing number of devices including games consoles, Smart TVs, Blu-Ray players, set top boxes and PCs/Macs. blinkbox is proud to be part of Tesco and was voted ‘Best online movie service’ by viewers of Channel 5’s The Gadget Show.
Comments are closed.