FDBusiness.com

80 per cent of British consumers are now switching into hibernation mode, choosing cosy nights in with the family over nights on the town with friends, according to new research from VoucherCodes.co.uk, the UK’s largest voucher website which works with over 3,000 of the UK’s biggest retailers and restaurants.

The draw of Saturday night TV is too much for 28 per cent of Brits, with Strictly Come Dancing voted the most popular weekend show by 17 per cent of the 2000 Brits surveyed. X-Factor has swayed nearly 1 in 10 (eight per cent) to give up their nights on the tiles. A further 28 per cent reveal that they’re choosing to stay in a bid to replenish their bank balance after a summer of fun. For the majority of Brits though, it’s the colder weather that’s making a night on the sofa more attractive than a night on the tiles with 73 per cent of Brits claiming they’re choosing to hibernate at home rather than face the cold.

The research also revealed what constitutes a perfect winter night for Brits – a winning formula of a takeaway, a drink in hand, a spot of retail therapy and Strictly Come Dancing. Curling up on the sofa wouldn’t be the same without a glass of wine and a pizza for the average Brit, who spends £35 on drinks, snacks and takeaways for their Saturday night in. Nearly half (44 per cent) of the UK will make the most of their spare time with a spot of shopping, picking up Christmas presents, new clothes and even holidays while they relax in front of the TV. For the average Brit second screen spending can tot up to £125.13 a time.

Women are leading the trend when it comes to spending Saturdays on the sofa, with a huge 87 per cent confessing they’re planning to stay in more often, and a third (33 per cent) doing so to avoid missing out on their favourite Saturday night shows (compared to just 20 per cent of men).

“With colder nights approaching and reality TV at its best, it’s understandable that the nation is swapping nights out for cosy Saturday nights in front of the fire. However, our ‘always on’ mobile culture is clearly impacting our spending habits, with nearly half of the UK online shopping while watching TV and spending nearly as much as they would on a night out,’ says Anita Naik, Lifestyle Editor at VoucherCodes.co.uk. ‘The sofa is quickly becoming the new high street for us Brits as we’re increasingly shopping for clothes, groceries, Christmas presents and even holidays while getting our latest reality TV fix.’’

The results emerged from a VoucherCodes.co.uk survey of 2,000 adults between 26-30th September 2014.