Carnal appetites sated at lunchtime

THOUSANDS of workers are skipping the sandwich and making lunchtime love, according to a survey.

The survey suggests that 1% of workers - about 18,000 people - have sex during their lunch break, the same number that spend their time boozing in the pub.

Commissioned by food company Eurest, the research revealed the average length of time taken for lunch was 38 minutes. Nearly 550 Irish people were questioned during May and June this year, while a further 2,000 were surveyed in Britain. There are an estimated 1.8m adult workers here with a further 700,000 in the North.

“The research highlights some interesting lunchtime trends among workers in Ireland,” said Noel Mahony, Eurest’s Irish director. “While Irish people are undoubtedly still committed to taking a lunch break, the traditional lunch hour is becoming a thing of the past.

“Working lifestyles in Ireland are changing significantly. Employees are under greater time pressures during their working day and this is reflected in the findings which show that the Irish are now taking only 38 minutes on average for lunch.”

Mr Mahony describes the new culture as “grab and go,” saying the sandwich was now way ahead of the traditional meat and two veg dinner of the past.

But he added: “I am delighted to say the Irish are still the most committed lunchers.”

Dubliners are the most committed to all-day breakfasts, the survey reveals.

Nearly eight out of 10 said they took a lunch break every day, compared to just 57% in Britain.

Less than 1% of workers here do not break for lunch, compared to 18% in Britain.