It has been discovered that nearly one third of diners in Europe eat every single meal alone.
The latest research done by market intelligence agency Mintel shows that Poland leads the way as the loneliest diners with 40% of them eating solo, closely followed by Brits with 33% of us eating every meal sans companions.
German (31%), French (30%), Spanish (29%) and Italian (29%) follow closely behind but it was found that around 80% of these mainland European countries stress the importance of family mealtimes as apposed to only 75% of British people.
Mintel global food and drink analyst Edward Bergen said: “Increasingly busy lifestyles are resulting in less time for nearly everything, including shared meals.”
It seems that technology also significantly influences the way we eat meals, with a large number of people claiming that they use some kind of technology at mealtimes.
From a survey of 2,000 people it was found that 55% of Spanish people admit to using their phones to text or talk at mealtimes, whereas only 32% of British people touch their phones while eating.
Young people seem to be the culprits here with 62% of Gen Z (16-24 year olds) Brit's admitting to not being able to leave their phones alone during dinner.
Mintel said: “The digital era has certainly changed the way we communicate with each other, even when we’re surrounded by friends and family. We’ve become hungry for a constant flow of information, and the so-called ‘fear of missing out’ doesn’t stop at the dinner table.”
But it isn’t just phones that are distracting us at the dinner table. Turns out 7 in 10 (71%) British people often watch TV during dinner time which has been proven to make people eat more than those who eat in the company of others and without screens.
Love eating alone? Here's our top picks of the best solo-dining restaurants in London