WHO SAID LONDONERS ARE GRUMPY IN JANUARY?

Survey findings disprove perceptions that we’re miserable at the start of 2016

LONDON, UK – 14th January 2016 – Not famous for our jolly disposition, you’d be forgiven for thinking that January is typically a month that Londoners don’t welcome with open arms. Bad weather, New Year’s resolutions and the back to work blues are generally considered the ingredients in making January a dreaded month and resulting in our positivity being at an all-time low.

However, new research suggests that in London, people are lightening up when it comes to January, with only 29% having negative thoughts about the first month of the year and over four fifths claiming January isn’t the least favourite month of the year. On the horizon, and long considered to be the most depressing day of the year, 85% of respondents admit to not knowing when Blue Monday is (the third Monday in January) whilst over a third (34%) don’t even know what it is.

Instead, with sales, new starts, holidays and Christmas money to spend, it seems as though Londoners have much to look forward to as they replace New Year despair with new found optimism and joy. A recent survey of Londoners, facilitated by Mini Babybel Light, found that a positive attitude (44%) makes people happiest in January. 29% also believe that spending time with friends and family holds the key to January joy compared to going on a holiday (24%). Regarding things that over shadow our good mood, over a third (40%) of respondents feels that the cold weathers dampens their positive outlook on January the most.

Often perceived as a necessary evil for a joyful start to the year, it seems as though Londoners are in fact optimistic about 2016 that nearly half (47%) don’t feel obliged to make New Year’s resolutions this month.

In fact, only 6% of Londoners are planning to join a gym with a mere 8% tackling Dry January and refraining from drinking alcohol this month. While we should expect to see empty gyms and full pubs, it seems that healthy eating is a priority in early 2016 with more than 40% admitting that eating good food will bring joy to their day this month with 20% feeling pressured to lose weight. With 42 calories per cheese and naturally high in protein, Mini Babybel Light is perfect for any lunch as the nation tries to eat healthier, with one in four people watching what they eat this month. A fifth of respondents (26%) are planning to make a change to their diets to kick start the year.

Professor Richard Scase, Emeritus Professor of Sociology and Organisational Behaviour at the University of Kent, comments: “It is a myth that January is the unhappiest month for us Brits. We generally face the New Year in a very optimistic mood, intending to make minor changes - not big impact resolutions - to our lives. It’s a known behaviour that after the Christmas break we in fact look forward to getting back to our daily routines and this survey shows that us Brits want to jump back into this routine, primarily by adopting a positive and healthy attitude to life.”

Lacey Bradshaw, Senior Brand Manager for Mini Babybel Light comments: “We want to encourage people to be their happiest selves this January by sparkling childlike joy in daily life. Adding something extra to the monotonous lunch break with Mini Babybel Light is the ideal way to do this!”

Mini Babybel Light is encouraging people to lighten up this January and is available from all major retailers. For more information and for tips on a Joyful January visit www.babybel.co.uk or join the conversation at twitter.com/Babybel.

-ENDS-

For more information, please contact: Alex Snow/Elin Huws Alex.snow@threepipe.co.uk/elin.huws@threepipe.co.uk Tel: 0207 632 4800

Notes to editors

The research was conducted by One Poll in January 2016 on behalf of Mini Babybel Light. The 2,000 survey respondents were UK adults aged 18+.

About Bel UK®: Bel UK Ltd is a subsidiary of the Bel Group, the world's leading producer of branded cheese portions. The company began life in France in 1865. Today, it has a presence in more than 120 countries, 27 production sites and an annual turnover in excess of £1 billion. The Bel Group produces many of the UK's most popular cheese brands, including Mini Babybel®, The Laughing Cow®, Leerdammer®, Port Salut® and Boursin®.