A survey by BritainThinks, commissioned by the Food and Drink Federation (FDF), has found that 73% of in-store shoppers say they usually or always purchase products that are on promotion when shopping, with a quarter (25%) of respondents suggesting that if there were no promotions, they would be concerned about the affordability of their shopping.
Nearly two thirds of participants (62%) also agreed that promotions are an important way to save money on food and drink, with nearly three quarters of participants (72%) wanting promotions to continue, finding them useful for saving money, stock up on food for the future and trying new products.
The findings come following news that the government remains committed to plans that would restrict promotions, including multibuys and buy-one-get-one-free deals.
Commenting on the findings, the FDF’s Chief Scientific Officer, Kate Halliwell, said:“The survey results clearly demonstrate that a large majority of in-store shoppers use promotions as a way to save money on their food and drink shopping. We’re extremely concerned that removing these promotions will add to the household’s food bill.
“There is evidence that during a recession, many people increasingly rely on promotions to help them save money. It’s predicted that the average shopping basket may increase by £600 a year without promotions in retail. We have already seen evidence of rising food costs – at the start of lockdown we saw a spike of 2.4% increase in food prices, fuelled by a 15% fall in promotions which accounted for over half of this inflationary spike.
“We urge the Government to consider these findings as they press on with their plans to restrict retail promotions and think about the impact this may have on the shopping basket and for shoppers during an incredibly difficult economic time.”
Big Garden Birdwatch is finally here! We’d love you to take part.
In your hour of watching, you’ll get to see the fascinating antics of your garden birds. From squabbling starlings, lively long-tailed tits to fluttering blue tits, you never know what will show up until you start looking, and it changes every minute!
Your Birdwatch creates a fascinating snapshot of how our garden birds are faring, and these add together to create an impressive big picture of garden birds all over the UK. We’d love you to add your sightings to the picture! Many of us have grown closer to nature over the past year – and Big Garden Birdwatch is an amazing way to celebrate that.
Of course, there’s always the chance that you don’t see anything during your Birdwatch. That’s fine – we’d still like to know, as it’s useful information for us. But we hope your hour is full of drama and perhaps even surprise! We’d love to hear your Birdwatch stories.
Share and join in the Birdwatch chat at #BigGardenBirdwatch
A new survey into the nation’s TV viewing habits reveals that, on average, Edinburgh viewers currently spend 28 hours of every week glued to their tellies, clocking up to 112 hours a month.
Commissioned by Samsung UK, the research shows that as many as 82 percent of those in the area surveyed said having good things to watch this January and February would help them get through the bleaker winter months.
With 80 percent of the British nation having enjoyed watching more TV during 2020, the research reveals that, in Edinburgh, the average household is set to enjoy 22 box set episodes, 10 sit-coms, six soap opera episodes and four football matches per month. Over a quarter of those polled said that in 2021 they could not live without their TVs.
In an average month this year, viewers in Edinburgh will also enjoy 14 reruns of their favourite shows, nine films, seven game shows and five reality shows – as well as a staggering 73 YouTube videos.
The research also uncovers that over the period of a month, people in Edinburgh will fall asleep in front of the TV three times, have four family feuds over what to watch, snuggle up with a furry friend five times and spill something on the carpet at least four times.
The True Crime genre TV capital of the UK is revealed to be London, with Brits in the city set to enjoy eight episodes each month.
Moreover, the research into TV habits reveals that the soap opera capital of the UK is officially Bristol, where residents will indulge in nine episodes of their favourite soap each month.
Meanwhile it was revealed that hardcore football fans are most likely to be found in Newcastle upon Tyne, watching up to six matches a month.
The research also found that Edinburgh is shifting from watching traditional terrestrial TV to using more modern streaming platforms.
Overall, 46 percent of the nation favours Netflix and this rings true for Edinburgh households, as 38 percent prefer to use this platform over anything else to get their entertainment fix.
Other popular streaming platforms across Edinburgh include Amazon Prime (10 percent), Disney+ (six percent) and BBC iPlayer (eight percent).
The old saying “Laughter is the best medicine” certainly rings true across the nation, as over half of Edinburgh based participants (68 percent) will be watching comedy shows to help keep spirits up throughout the beginning of the year.
In fact, viewers in the UK will laugh until they cry at least five times a month, with 66 percent of Edinburgh based adults admitting comedy is their favourite type of programme to watch. This was closely followed by documentaries (46 percent) true crime (36 percent), game shows (34 percent) and light entertainment (32 percent).
Deep Halder, Head of TV/AV Retail & Content Services, Samsung Electronics UK Ltd said: “As the nation is set to spend even more time at home this year, many of us will be turning to our TVs to provide some comfort and light relief during these times.
“At Samsung, we’re always listening to what our customers desire from their viewing experiences and with almost half turning to comedy shows, we’re proud to have recently launched Samsung’s own Comedy channel via Samsung TV Plus – our exclusive service which offers Smart TV owners instant access to over 80 live and on-demand TV channels for free, guaranteeing endless entertainment options.”
The survey also showed that selecting what to view on TV isn’t always plain sailing, with the average Edinburgh household spending 10 minutes per day bickering over what to watch and 15 minutes flicking through the channels.
One of the biggest frustrations, however, is often finding the remote in the first place, with the research revealing that they spend seven minutes every day searching for the elusive item.
To find out more about Samsung’s TV portfolio, from its pioneering QLED 8K TVs offering state-of-the-art technology, to its impeccably stylish range of lifestyle TVs with innovative features, please visit www.samsung.com/uk/.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, there has been a huge increase in the use of video calls as a way to stay connected with others and improve wellbeing.
Staying connected is especially important for people aged 70 and above who have been advised to self-isolate for long periods of time.
However, there may be barriers to video call use, including difficulties with hearing.
We are interested in finding out how and to what extent older people with hearing loss have been using video calls, focusing on ease or difficulty of use and any effects on feelings of loneliness and isolation.
Take part in our survey
We’ve launched a survey to find out about these things and we’d love you to take part, whether you use video calls frequently or hardly at all and whether you love them or loathe them (or something in between). You can complete the survey online or, if you prefer, fill in a paper copy.
It should take roughly half an hour. We will also conduct a smaller number of in-depth interviews to find out more detail about people’s experiences; you can volunteer for an interview via the survey.
If you’re interested, please register here. If you’d like any more information, please email ear.vcp@ucl.ac.uk or phone 02076798904.
If you prefer to fill in the survey on paper, we can send you a copy in the post.
All respondents can choose to be entered into a prize draw to win one of two £50 shopping vouchers.
This project is a collaboration between four different UCL departments: the Ear Institute, Centre for Behaviour Change, Division of Psychiatry and Institute of Health Informatics.
We will use the results of our investigations to write recommendations about making video conferencing more accessible to older people with hearing loss. We believe that the information we gather will be valuable in helping older people with hearing loss cope with further periods of isolation, either due to the pandemic or other life events.
Creative Scotland has published the findings from independent research looking at public attitudes to cultural participation and attendance in the context of the Covid-19 pandemic.
Surveying a representative sample of the population in Scotland, this is the second wave of research, following the first wave which was completed in August 2020. The survey provides valuable insight regarding how the Covid-19 pandemic has changed attitudes towards, and engagement with, cultural activity and also looks at public attitudes towards cultural participation in the future.
Key findings include:
More than half the population (56%) say they really miss attending cultural venues and events
However, there is wariness amongst the culture-going public as regards returning to venues and events as restrictions ease, more so than with many other leisure activities
The vast majority of the population (98%) are engaging with cultural activity from home during the Covid-19 pandemic but only a small proportion (17%) say they are willing to pay for cultural content that has moved online due to the pandemic
Audiences are nevertheless looking forward to attending cultural activity when they can; are open to trying new experiences at different types of venue (70%); and audience levels look likely to return to pre-Covid levels, or increase, once a vaccine is widely available
Iain Munro, Creative Scotland Chief Executivesaid: “The impact on Scotland’s art and culture sector by the Covid-19 pandemic has been severe. This important and ongoing research helps us understand that impact from a public perspective and is helping inform our ongoing discussions with partners, including Scottish Government, regarding current and future support.
“The research also provides invaluable insight that will help shape our collaborative work with the sector in terms of recovery and renewal as we emerge from the impacts of the pandemic through 2021.”
The report summarising the findings from the research can be found on the Creative Scotland website. A further wave of this research is planned for Spring 2021.
Over two thirds of student renters (69 per cent) are concerned about their ability to pay their rent
A third of students believe that they would not be allowed to leave their tenancy agreement early due to the pandemic
57 per cent of those who have been self-isolating have not received any support from their accommodation provider
22 per cent of students have been unable to pay their rent in full over the past 4 month
Over two thirds of student renters (69 per cent) are worried about their ability to pay rent with around a quarter having been unable to pay rent (22 per cent) or bills (27 per cent) during the pandemic, a new survey from NUS (National Union of Students) has found. International students and students of colour are most likely to be extremely concerned.
Almost half of students live in rented accommodation of some sort, with around a third believing they would not be allowed to leave their tenancy agreement early due to the pandemic.
These problems are likely to be exacerbated with the most recent lockdown announcement that has left the majority of student renters still liable to pay for accommodation that they are not allowed to access.
The Coronavirus and Students Survey phase III took place in November and involved over 4,000 students, building upon the previous research issued by NUS in April and September 2020. A quarter of students have had to self-isolate during last (Autumn) term, or are currently self-isolating, while a small proportion have had to lockdown.
57 per cent of those who have been self-isolating have not received any support from their accommodation provider. Students have called for more regular check-ins, financial support and food deliveries to support them.
The proportion of students living with parents/guardians has gone up since September, now representing 30 per cent of students compared to 21 per cent. Prior to the pandemic a quarter of students were living with parents indicating some students have had to reconsider their living arrangements as a result of the pandemic.
Hillary Gyebi-Ababio, NUS Vice-President for Higher Education, said: “It is astonishing that the UK government has placed students under lockdown yet are still requiring them to pay rent for accommodation that they cannot legally access. It goes to show the level of disregard that this government has for students.
“We need rent rebates immediately to ensure that students are not out of pocket for rental payments of properties they are not living in. Over two-thirds of students are already concerned about their ability to make rental payments, and this will have only increased with the most recent lockdown announcement.
“Students deserve better than to be financially punished for following public health guidance.”
Ellen Fearon, NUS-USI President, said: “Governments have been dodging the problems facing student renters throughout the whole of this pandemic. We have consistently raised the fact that students are in a unique situation, being unable to claim Universal Credit and therefore unable to access housing support if they lose their income, but these calls have fallen on deaf ears.
“In September students were brought back onto campuses only for many classes to be moved online in a matter of weeks and for some students to find themselves effectively locked in their halls. It’s not surprising that so many students feel they have been exploited for profit. Students deserve better than to be used to prop up a failing business model.”
A new survey from the British Psychological Society (BPS) has revealed today that 86% of people are looking forward to spending the Christmas period with their partner.
The results indicate a surprising bright spot amid the difficult times of the pandemic, particularly after the recent announcement about new Tier 4 restrictions and the reduction in days people are able to see their family and loved ones over the festive period.
The survey commissioned by the BPS also showed that 87% of people in a relationship said they have enjoyed the time they’ve spent with their partner since the start of the Coronavirus pandemic in the UK (March 2020), with 84% saying they have felt supported by their partner, and 79% saying they have felt emotionally connected.
The YouGov survey of 2,100 adults in the UK, undertaken prior to Saturday’s announcement on new Covid-19 restrictions over the festive period, reveals a surprisingly positive snapshot into relationships during the Covid-19 pandemic, and indicates that despite the unique challenges relationships have faced, many couples have been able to weather the storm together.
Perhaps less surprisingly, the results show that single people looking for a relationship during the pandemic have struggled, with 79% saying they hadn’t found it easy to meet new people since lockdown started, and 90% saying they had experienced loneliness.
The survey also found that, among those in a relationship, more than one quarter (27%) said they have experienced feelings of loneliness in their relationship with their partner since the start of the Coronavirus pandemic in the UK, and just over half (53%) said they had felt sexually connected with their partner.
The BPS has published new guidance to help those in relationships and single people to cope with the effects of lockdowns and restrictions on personal, intimate and sexual relationships, including tips and advice for people who are in a relationship, or actively seeking new connections.
Dr Sarah Rutter, BPS chartered clinical psychologist and lead author of the guidance said: “It’s genuinely heart-warming to see how connected and supported by their partners people have felt as they’ve faced the challenges of the pandemic together.
“During times of difficulty, it’s not uncommon to learn new things about ourselves or a partner, or see hidden strengths come to the fore. The pandemic may have presented us with an opportunity to slow down and take the time to think about the relationships that are most important to us.
“At this time of year it’s common for us to see advice about how to ‘survive’ the festive period as a couple and navigate the occasional tensions of family get-togethers. This year the difference couldn’t be more stark, with intimate relationships really coming to the forefront of our personal support networks.
“Equally, there’s no doubt that it’s also been a very challenging time for people who are single and looking for new connections, whose love life may have felt ‘on hold’ since March. The new restrictions introduced yesterday will undoubtedly hit single people who are looking for a new relationship very hard.
“It’s hugely important to recognise that these survey results don’t give us the full picture and there is no doubt that some will have struggled with their relationships, particularly during a time of such change and stress. The festive period can be a strain on relationships in any year, and Christmas 2020 could be particularly challenging, with restrictions placing unique demands upon us.”
The findings of this survey offer a small snapshot of the UK’s relationship experiences since the start of the UK lockdown and victims of domestic abuse may have been suffering in silence.
It’s vital that people experiencing domestic abuse urgently receive the support they need.
If you, or someone you know is in immediate danger, call 999 and ask for the police. Alternatively, contact the helplines below:
Teachers’ union the EIS has announced that an increasing number of its local associations are now moving towards balloting members on disputes with local authorities over school COVID-19 safety.
At present, six EIS local associations are moving to ballot members with at least four others currently considering whether to take this step towards a formal dispute with employers.
The EIS had called for a move to teaching and learning via remote online platforms for the pre and post-Christmas period, in the interests of minimising infection risk and protecting the health and wellbeing of students, teachers and their families over the festive season.
Despite broad support from many parents, teachers and others this call was flatly rejected by the Scottish Government, which has pledged to keep school buildings open at all costs right up to Christmas.
Following this rejection by the Scottish Government, EIS local associations called on local authorities to utilise their devolved powers to move to remote learning platforms around the festive season.
Subsequently, these pleas have been rejected by local authorities, with many councils citing a recent letter from the Scottish Government which urged them not to utilise their devolved authority to move schools to remote learning.
Yesterday, the EIS also released its latest themed briefing, based on teacher comments in a recent national survey. The briefing highlights teachers’ views on the importance of moving to remote learning around the festive period, as a means to protect staff, students and their families.
The key issues highlighted include:
Teachers believe that moving to blended or remote learning would help reduce infection spread in the new year
Teachers are concerned about being able to safely mix with family during the holidays, without having the ability to isolate for 5 days beforehand
There are concerns that with schools remaining open full time, right up until the 23rd December in some areas, many school staff will have to work over the Christmas period to ensure the track and trace policies are enacted – a fact that was confirmed by the National Clinical Director earlier this week.
A small adjustment in the final few days of term would make an immeasurable difference to staff and pupil wellbeing.
EIS General Secretary Larry Flanagan said, “The Scottish Government and local authorities seem determined to keep schools physically open, at all costs, right up to Christmas.
“Scotland’s teachers are clear that this will present a very real risk to their health, their pupils’ health and the health of their families by increasing the risk of COVID-19 spreading through family festive gatherings. Making a very slight change to arrangements around the holiday period, by allowing teachers and students to work remotely from home for a few days, would significantly reduce the risk of pupils or staff taking the virus into their family groups in the festive period.”
Mr Flanagan continued: “It was extremely disappointing when the Scottish Government rejected calls from teachers, and many parents, for schools to move to remote learning to protect families over the festive season. It is quite incredible that the Scottish Government has then placed pressure on local authorities not to use their devolved authority over education to move schools to remote learning in the run up to Christmas.”
Mr Flanagan added: “The number of EIS local associations moving to consultative ballots, together with the number still considering this action, is a clear indicator of the strength of feeling amongst teachers.
“Scotland’s teachers see governments in other countries increasingly taking steps to close school buildings early and move to remote learning in order to protect families over Christmas – this raises the question of why the Scottish Government apparently values its teachers less than governments in England, or Wales, or Sweden or Germany value theirs.”
The briefing paper, published on Sunday, focuses on teacher comments on the value of moving to blended or remote learning.
One teacher said, “It was with disappointment that I heard that the Scottish Government chose not to allow schools to move to a blended model for the 21st and 22nd December and while I welcomed the relaxing of lockdown tiers over the Christmas period, in reality, for me this won’t change the fact that I shouldn’t visit with my 80 year-old mum and other family members who are in the vulnerable category for fear of taking the contacts of the many pupils I work with on a daily basis to them.”
Another teacher said: “I am physically and mentally exhausted at the moment and am looking forward to Christmas as a time to relax a little and recover from the stress. I am now faced with the choice, however, of seeing my family at Christmas and risking the possibility of carrying infection to them or of isolating and not seeing them. Every day I am sitting in a room with 31 upper school children and whilst measures are in place, they are at times impossible to maintain. Should I carry the virus to anyone let alone my elderly in-laws I would never be able to live with myself.”
Another teacher added: “Going to blended learning on the 18th would not have a massive impact on the education of the children … but it would have a huge impact on the mental wellbeing of staff who would be able to isolate, and then confidently visit with their bubble at some point over the holiday period.
“It would also be considered a gesture of goodwill in a season where it is supposed to be at its most prominent.”
The EIS is continuing to urge its members to share their experiences of working in schools during the pandemic and their views on keeping school buildings open around the festive period using the hashtag #NotAtAllCosts, tagging the First Minister and the Deputy First Minister in their posts.
Recently, the EIS also wrote to all Directors of Education and the Deputy First Minister, calling for an urgent rethink on their refusal to move to remote learning around the Christmas holiday period.
The letters highlight the health & safety implications of the decision and note that governments in other countries are increasingly taking the decision to close their school buildings early ahead of Christmas to protect students, staff and their families.
New research by the UK’s largest independent road safety charity, IAM RoadSmart, has discovered that many motorists will rush to make last minute car travel plans for the Christmas period this year, while others will make fewer stops when driving long journeys.
The charity’s survey of 1,000 drivers in the UK investigated the impact COVID-19 will have on people’s travel plans over this year’s festive season, with some worrying safety issues emerging.
Among the most alarming findings are that almost seven-in-ten drivers (69%) are still waiting to make firm travel plans until they have clearer guidelines from the Government on travel restrictions that may affect them, giving them less time to prepare for potentially long journeys and make critical vehicle safety checks.
At the same time, four-in-ten (40%) long-distance drivers who travel more than 150 miles over Christmas and who would routinely stop during their journey at services or other types of outlet, such as cafes or pubs for lunch and refreshments, have decided that they will not do so this year due to concerns over the Coronavirus and social distancing.
The decision not to break long journeys is most prevalent among men, with more than half (56%) of male drivers surveyed saying they will not stop this year when they would have normally done so, compared to around a quarter (27%) of women.
Regionally, it is drivers from Scotland and London who are most likely to forego stops for breaks during long journeys during Christmas this year, with 67% and 64% respectively saying they will not break their journeys due to Coronavirus safety concerns.
With more than a quarter (27%) of all drivers still intending to travel more than 100 miles over the Christmas period this year, a lack of planning and not stopping for breaks could have serious road safety implications.
Neil Greig, Policy and Research Director at the charity, said: “Our research shows that unsurprisingly COVID-19 will have a significant impact on travel plans over Christmas this year.
“While it’s understandable that ongoing uncertainty and safety concerns over exposing relatives to the virus has caused many people to postpone their planning, it is important that critical safety steps, such as making vehicle maintenance checks and stopping regularly during long journeys are not overlooked.”
Neil added: “Taking a break on a long car journey is essential for the driver, and passengers, to recharge their batteries. Spending too long behind-the-wheel in one stint can lead to drowsiness and a loss of concentration with potentially catastrophic consequences for all road users. Our advice is to take at least a 15-minute break every two hours.
“The festive season is a busy period for many of us, and this year it will likely be even more challenging as Coronavirus continues to impact our everyday lives. But road safety and – taking sensible precautions – is everyone’s responsibility when driving, no matter what other pressures are at play.
“So, we urge everyone to make sure they leave time for important safety measures as they make their travel plans this Christmas.”
A nationwide survey with the aim of collating the responses of the Construction and Engineering sector has been launched to find out what the future training and development needs are of these critical sectors, as well as seeking to highlight the barriers to accessible training.
Construction is a key sector that contributes significantly to the economic growth of a nation. The Construction industry tends to be an investment-led sector where governments show high interest with contracts awarded to develop infrastructure related to housing, health and transport, as well as the education sector.
Alongside the Construction industry is the Engineering sector, which helps to develop the physical infrastructure we all rely on – transport networks, roads, bridges, water and energy supplies, and waste management, among other vital services.
In these challenging and ever-changing times, it is crucial that colleges across the country provide training and qualifications which help drive the success of the two sectors by listening and providing appropriate learning opportunities.
Funded by Edinburgh and South East Scotland City Region Deal (ESESCDR) as part of the Housing, Construction and Infrastructure (HCI) partnership. Colleges in Scotland are seeking to carry out a needs analysis of both areas through a short survey which will then be analysed, and the outcomes reported to the HCI Board.
This will allow colleges to respond and adapt their training offering to ensure that companies can upskill their current workforce and ensure that new recruits have the knowledge and understanding required to enter the world of Construction and engineering.
The survey is open now and closes on Monday 11 December with results being published by the end of March 2021.
Edinburgh College Head of Engineering and Built Environment Scott Warden said: “This is a fantastic opportunity for business, partners and the workforce of the Engineering and Construction sectors to help colleges in the South East of Scotland support the future skills needs of our region over the coming years.
“Their support in helping us to identify any gap areas in terms of skills and training and continuous professional development (CPD) needs will be invaluable as we look to shape our curriculum to serve the industry’s requirements.”
As a thank you for participating in the survey all participants, who leave their contact details, will be entered into our prize draw for a £50 Amazon Voucher – Good luck!
The survey can be accessed here and will take around four minutes to complete.
