// Brits spent almost £800 each in lockdown
// 3 in 10 Brits bought items that would make them or their household happier
// The UK has spent a total of £40 billion on non-essential items
UK consumers have each spent almost £800 during lockdown in an effort to take their minds off having to stay home, new research has found.
Research from Barclaycard found that Brits spent an average of £771.34 as they were forced to stay home, and almost three in 10 bought items that would make them or their household happier, such as outdoor plants and baking ingredients.
Overall, the UK spent a total of £40 billion on non-essential items, including books, video games and wine subscriptions.
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Barclaycard suggested that men were the biggest spenders, at £1014.08 each, while women averaged £571.58.
Meanwhile, London residents and those at home with children under 18 were the two highest spending groups, making purchases amounting to £2812 and £2070 respectively.
Men spent almost triple the amount than women on sports clothing and equipment, paying an average of £941 compared to £324.
Summer clothes made up 19 per cent of purchases during lockdown, while outdoor plants and flowers made up 16 per cent and baking ingredients 15 per cent.
Moreover, eight in 10 consumers plan to keep all the items they bought, with only six per cent feeling they had wasted money.
One in five consumers said they were planning to give away at least one of the items they bought during lockdown to charity.
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