Takeaway Meals Double as Reward and Consolation, UK Study Finds

Overview

• Anglia Ruskin University researchers report that ordering a takeaway was the only self-gift chosen for both celebrating good days and consoling bad ones.
• The peer‑reviewed study in Frontiers in Psychology used scenario experiments with about 280 UK adults to compare food and non‑food treats.
• Participants imagining a bad day were more likely to opt for a takeaway, an alcoholic drink, a chocolate bar or a bubble bath, indicating a consolation motive.
• Online shopping did not vary by mood in the study, suggesting many people view it as routine rather than a special treat.
• Coverage places the findings alongside data showing Camden now has England’s highest density of fast‑food outlets and that its outlet count has roughly doubled since 2017, with Blackpool, Manchester and Tower Hamlets also high on the list.