Nearly Half of Brits Experience FOMO During Summertime

A poll of 2,000 adults conducted by giffgaff found that 45% of Brits are most likely to experience FOMO (fear of missing out) during the summer months. Among those, 53% say missing plans or events stops them from fully enjoying the season. Cost plays a role for nearly a third (31%), while work commitments leave 36% feeling left out.

Common Missed Experiences

Holidays abroad (36%), festivals or concerts (27%), and major sporting events (15%) are among the experiences people most often miss. With the World Cup underway, 15% admit to watching sport on their phones at work, while 23% have found ways to watch their favourite team while on holiday.

Summer Often Falls Short

One in six adults feel summer never quite lives up to expectations, despite it being the nation’s favourite season. Although 90% look forward to summer and 39% claim it’s their favourite, 13% believe it’s often ‘better in theory than reality’.

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Barriers to Enjoyment

The poll revealed the top 25 things that get in the way of enjoying summer, including pricey holidays, packed pub gardens, and sweaty public transport. Having to work on a sunny day (22%), overcrowded beaches (24%), and higher food and drink prices (16%) are also factors. A further 12% are annoyed that a ‘99 Flake’ now costs far more than 99p.

Unfair Pricing Perception

More than three quarters (77%) believe seasonal prices are inflated and unfair. Among the most unreasonable are family days out (47%) and festivals and events (45%). Half cited holiday and travel costs as unfair, with nearly three in ten having experienced unexpected roaming charges while abroad. Nearly six in ten (59%) believe it’s easy to get caught out by hidden costs.

Giffgaff's Response

In response, giffgaff launched its Fair-play Summer Fund to give people the chance to fix an unfair summer moment. Kate Dohaney, CEO of giffgaff, said: "Summer is the season we spend all year looking forward to, but our research shows that for many people it comes with catches. From rising costs and hidden charges to missing out on experiences, too many people feel summer doesn't always play fair. We’re on a mission to tackle some of summer’s stings, by helping people with data and broadband for less, so they have more money to spend on those moments that matter."