The traditional British biscuit break is under threat, with half of the nation feeling guilty for taking time out of their day due to packed work and family schedules, according to new research.
A study by McVitie's found that 46 per cent of people feel guilty for taking a break, while 45 per cent believe the biscuit break has become endangered. Three-quarters (77 per cent) of the 2,000 Brits surveyed think we should bring back biscuit breaks to encourage spontaneous moments of connection.
Busy working days (27 per cent), constant to-do lists (24 per cent) and packed home routines (18 per cent) are among the top contributors to this guilt. More than half (54 per cent) feel pressure to always be 'on', and the same number feel too busy to stop at all. Londoners experience the most pressure (58 per cent), while in Northern Ireland 62 per cent say they cannot break at all.
When downtime does occur, it is often spent alone—doomscrolling on phones (47 per cent) or catching up on messages (35 per cent)—rather than shared with others. Two-fifths (42 per cent) deprioritise making plans with friends, and 39 per cent shelve checking in with family due to busy schedules.
However, 79 per cent say connecting with friends and family boosts their mood. Dr Ellie Buckley, psychologist and former Traitors star, partnered with McVitie's to encourage people to make time for breaks. She said: 'It's often the smallest, most spontaneous moments—a quick chat over a cuppa and a biscuit—that can feel meaningful.'
Pippa Whybourne, Marketing Manager at McVitie's, added: 'Connection can happen in those in-between moments—a biscuit break between meetings, a knock on a friend's door or a simple "are you free now?" message.'
