The ongoing COVID-19 pandemic has seen millions in lockdown and a dramatic increase in the number of people working from home in the U.K. A new Ipsos MORI poll shows that a significant proportion of Britons have adopted a more casual approach to hygiene as a result.
While the majority of those surveyed said their habits hadn’t changed when it came to personal hygiene, a full 24 percent told Ipsos they were showering less now, while 14 percent said they were less likely to use deodorant.
Thirty-three percent said they were less likely to style their hair but just 14 percent agreed that the only time they styled their hair was for video calls with friends. There has been a marked rise in the use of video calling since the pandemic began.
However, clear majorities reported that they were now wearing more casual clothing when working from home.
Sixty-seven percent of respondents told Ipsos that people they know are dressing more casually and 63 percent said they were happy everyone could dress casually now.
Britons appear to be pleased that dressing casually is more common at the moment, with 66 percent saying it means “I can exercise my personal choices more” and 59 percent agreeing “I feel confident about knowing how to best dress in a more casual way.”
Those who identified as male reported that they were less likely to shave as a result of lockdown. Indeed, a full 45 percent of respondents said they had gone unshaven for more days than usual and 32 percent said they had grown beards.
Fifty-two percent of those who identified as female said they were wearing make-up less often but just 18 percent agreed they only wore make-up for video calls with friends.
A number of similar surveys have shown that the pandemic and the need to stay home have changed people’s habits. CBS Chicago reported on a poll in March that showed Americans were brushing their teeth less often, showering less frequently and doing laundry less.
The poll, conducted by Advanced Dermatology, a skincare solutions firm, also found that 91 percent of respondents were doing their hair less often and just 19 percent were putting on make-up every day.
COVID-19 has also changed behaviors beyond dressing and washing. Pitney Bowes Inc.’s BOXpoll found earlier this month that 54 percent of consumers are shopping online more often. The poll also suggested that these behaviors will outlast the crisis.
People walk through Walsall town centre during England’s second lockdown on November 27, 2020 in Walsall, United Kingdom. Walsall and the West Midlands will be amongst many areas of the country to enter Tier-3 rules when the current lockdown ends next week. The UK Government announced a new tier system for England once the second coronavirus lockdown comes to an end on Wednesday 2nd December. Polls have found that lockdown has changed behaviors. Christopher Furlong/Getty Images
