Massive increase in UK Google searches for home workouts, fish and chips deliveries and baking recipes during coronavirus lockdown — but ‘get a divorce’ and condoms are both DOWN
There has been a massive increase in UK Google searches for ‘home workouts’, ‘fish and chips deliveries’ and ‘baking recipes’ during the coronavirus lockdown.
However, the use of search terms like ‘get a divorce’, ‘condoms’, ‘botox’ and ‘prom dress’ have all fallen radically since people began staying at home.
The findings highlight how lockdown and social distancing measures are having a marked effect on the way we live our lives in the time of COVID-19.
There has been a massive increase in UK Google searches for ‘home workouts’, ‘fish and chips deliveries’ and ‘baking recipes’ during the coronavirus lockdown. However, the use of search terms like ‘get a divorce’, ‘condoms’, ‘botox’ and ‘prom dress’ have all fallen radically
The study — which examined search terms used between January 18 and April 15, 2020 — was conducting by the Reboot Online Marketing Agency.
The investigators used the search engine marketing tools Google Trends and SEMrush to determine what UK internet users have been looking up in lockdown.
They report that, showing the largest lockdown boost, there has been a staggering 3600 per cent increase in people looking online to ‘rent gym equipment’ as people look to be able to recreate their normal workout routines at home.
Perhaps to replace all those burnt calories, however, the next four search terms that have seen the largest hike in recent weeks are all noticeably food-centric.
These include ‘pubs delivering food near me’ (up 3,100 per cent), ‘fish and chips near me’ (up 2,900 per cent), ‘baking recipes’ (up 2,500) and ‘things to make without plain flour (up 2,250 per cent).
Other terms that have grown in popularity since the lockdown began include ‘grow plants’, ‘yoga online classes’, online games and — very specifically — ‘banana cake’.
Unsurprisingly, there has also been a 1,700 per cent rise in people looking up information on a ‘coronavirus cure’.
Last month, the UK-based charity the Center for Countering Digital Hate launched a campaign to warn people to be wary of the health-related misinformation that has begun circulating in relation to the COVID-19 pandemic — including fake cures.
With people unable to leave their homes during lockdown, the team found a corresponding decrease in search terms related to travel and outside activities.
These included such terms as ‘city breaks’ (which has fallen by 99 per cent since the lockdown began), ‘travel insurance’ (-98 per cent), ‘taxi to airport’ (-97 per cent), camping sites (-87 per cent) and flights (-86 per cent).
‘Other topics of interest include comic con in seventh place (down 93%), prom dress in 16th place (down 85%), and dog shows in 19th place (down 82%),’ the researchers said.
This, they added, hints at ‘Britain’s interests before Coronavirus took hold.’
They report that, showing the largest lockdown boost, there has been a staggering 3600 per cent increase in people looking online to ‘rent gym equipment’ as people look to be able to recreate their normal workout routines at home
Perhaps to replace all those burnt calories, however, the next four search terms that have seen the largest hike in recent weeks are all food-centric. These include ‘pubs delivering food near me’ (up 3,100 per cent), ‘fish and chips near me’ (up 2,900 per cent), ‘baking recipes’ (up 2,500) and ‘things to make without plain flour (up 2,250 per cent)