Babybel marks 27 years with Comic Relief by renaming ‘Hangry Ginge’ for Red Nose Day, turning the 2pm hanger strike into laughs.
- Brits are most likely to feel ‘hangry’ at 2pm.
- The average time it takes from first feeling hunger to experiencing full-blown ‘hanger’ is 42 minutes.
- 48 per cent completely lose their sense of humour.
- Skipping breakfast (25 per cent), forgetting to eat because of busy work schedules (24%) and having lunch pushed back due to meetings (20 per cent) are the main causes of ‘hanger’.
- 43 per cent of the nation always have ‘emergency snacks’ on them to combat ‘hanger’.
Brits are most likely to feel ‘hangry’ at 2pm – that familiar moment in the day when energy dips, patience thins, and even the best joke can fall flat.
A survey of 2,000 adults found the average time it takes from first feeling hunger to experiencing full-blown ‘hanger’ is 42 minutes
And when this happens, 48% completely lose their sense of humour – showing that an empty stomach doesn’t just drain energy, but the ability to laugh too.
Hanger is most likely to strike because of a hectic schedule, with those affected likely to have skipped breakfast (25%), forgotten to eat because they were working nonstop (24%), or had their lunch pushed back because of a meeting (20%).
The research was commissioned by Babybel as part of its partnership with Comic Relief, now in its 27th year, with an aim to feed the nation’s funny.
A spokesperson for Babybel, which also teamed up with “Hangry Ginge” to tackle those everyday hangry moments, said: “We all know how quickly hunger can get in the way of our sense of humour and our research shows just how easily those hangry moments can take the fun out of everyday life.
“Through our partnership we aim to bring a little light relief, combining laughter with satisfying snacks to give people a small boost when they need it most.
“Together, we’re showing that feeling good, doing good, and having fun really do go hand in hand.”
Despite 61 per cent confirming it’s no easy feat for them to lose their sense of humour, hanger is clearly a strong enough emotion to do this.
As 19 per cent find it difficult to make jokes and 18% can’t even laugh at something funny when this feeling overtakes them.
But laughter and humour are clearly very important to the nation, as 86% confirmed these are too vital to life to lose, even temporarily.
Which explains why 43% always carry ‘emergency snacks’ in case hunger creeps up and steals their capacity for comedy. Over half (54%) reach for a satisfying snack, while one in five (20%) prefer a protein option.
Other things people struggle with when they’re hangry included staying calm (28%), maintaining a positive outlook (25%), or enjoying the little things in life (20%).
It can also lead to behaviours people are less than proud of, as 21% will snap at someone, 16% will make irrational decisions they later regret, and the same number (16%) will even argue with a loved one, on at least a weekly basis.
Luckily, it only takes six minutes after munching on something for the average Brit’s body and mind to return to their regular functions, according to the OnePoll.com data.
But if they don’t have something to satisfy their hunger on hand, the alternative fix is humour – as the most powerful tool capable of turning a bad mood into a good one instantly was identified as a laugh with a friend (38%), followed in second place by a delicious snack (35%).
The types of humour most likely to turn frowns upside down were found to be inside jokes with friends (25%) and quintessentially British dry, deadpan humour (22%) or sarcasm (21%).
Babybel’s spokesperson added: “It’s clear that hunger can sap our ability to enjoy life to the fullest.
“Whether it’s losing sight of the little things that make life magical or relinquishing the opportunity for a proper belly laugh – it’s just not worth it!
“So always be prepared for those moments hanger might be lurking, because you wouldn’t want it to steal your funny.”
