“PC Dinner” replaces the “TV Dinner” in UK homes Review:

SeeSaw.com research reveals the “PC Dinner” replaces the “TV Dinner” in UK homes

• SeeSaw.com unearths a growing trend across the UK: the “PC dinner”
• Nearly a fifth of the nation are more likely to have a “PC dinner” than a TV dinner
• More than half of Brits confess to have eaten dinner in front of the computer
• Over half of the UK enjoy “laptop lunches”
• 15 per cent of Brits watch TV online when eating their PC dinner – Come Dine with Me is the most popular choice of show
• The PC replaces the TV as the main source of entertainment for a quarter of Brits
• A third of Brits use the internet on the toilet; two thirds surf the net in bed
• Over 1 in 10 are more likely to check emails than kiss their partner goodnight

Recent research conducted by Seesaw.com recorded 2,000 respondents polled, found that over 60 per cent of Brits have enjoyed their evening meal to watch tv online, and a fifth of all those polled (21%) had eaten dinner in front of the computer regularly.

The “PC dinner” has replaced the “TV dinner” for many Brits, with nearly 1 in 5 of those polled (19%) claiming they are more likely to consume their dinner in front of the computer than the TV.  However, many of those polled are using the computer to enjoy TV programmes with their dinner.   Nearly 15% of all Brits choose to watch TV programmes on the web as they eat whilst slightly more respondents (16%) catch up on social media sites.  According to all those polled, the programme most likely to be viewed online when eating dinner was Come Dine with Me (14%).

The research revealed a similar trend across Britain over lunchtime. More than 6 out of 10 (63%) respondents confessed to enjoying a “laptop lunch” – eating their lunch in front of the computer – with  a quarter of all respondents (25%) admitting that they enjoy lunch in front of the computer on a regular basis.

The research shows some new insights into Britain’s digital habits.  For nearly a quarter of all respondents surveyed (23%), the PC has now replaced the TV as the main source of evening entertainment. And Brits are going online wherever they want in the home – nearly a third of Brits (31%) confess to using the internet whilst on the toilet, with the Scots way out in front with nearly 37%. According to the research, approximately two thirds of us (67%) surf the web in bed and nearly 15% use the internet whilst in the bath.  The average time spent online in the evening for adults across the UK was just under 2 hours.

The appeal of the internet is clearly having an impact on the behaviour of couples. The research reveals:

o   Over a fifth of couples (21%) confess to spending more time surfing the net at  home than spending quality time together

o   Over a quarter of couples (26%) spend the evening separately surfing the web on different devices

o   For just over one in ten couples (11%), romance is clearly not top of the agenda as they would prefer to check their emails last thing at night than kissing their partner goodnight

o   For a little under 10% of couples, the argument is now over control of the computer rather than the TV remote.

John Keeling, Platform Controller for SeeSaw, commented: “This incredible research shows how millions of British people cannot tear themselves away from the internet, even for dinner.  The growth of the PC Dinner is a remarkable new trend for the nation.  The rapid growth of technology means that Brits now enjoy many of their programmes online and who better to eat your evening meal with than Jeremy Clarkson or the cast of EastEnders?”