A third of people with baths (32%) have stopped using the tub completely due to high energy prices, new research from Uswitch.com, the comparison and switching service, has found.
Nearly half of bath-owners (46%) have reduced the number of baths they take, and one in ten (12%) have swapped washing in hot water to taking cold baths instead. Two in five bath owners (42%) have cut down on the amount of water they fill the tub with.
People are also reducing the time they spend in the shower, with two in five people (44%) cutting down. On average, Brits spend eight minutes in the shower, with men taking seven minutes to wash and women taking nine.
Where possible, a fifth (21%) try to shower at the gym or their workplace to avoid using hot water at home.
People in Newcastle take the longest showers at ten minutes on average, followed by Manchester at 9.8 minutes. The shortest showers are had in Brighton, where people take 6.7 minutes on average.
Edinburgh residents are the UK’s biggest bath-dodgers – with 49% of people ditching the tub due to high energy costs, while only 15% have cut back in Belfast.
Down the plughole: Where bath-owners have stopped using the tub and average showering times
| City | People who have stopped using the bath (%) | Average time spent in the shower (mins) |
| Edinburgh | 49% | 8.5 |
| Sheffield | 37% | 8.4 |
| Southampton | 35% | 8.1 |
| Brighton | 34% | 6.7 |
| London | 33% | 9.4 |
| Manchester | 33% | 9.8 |
| Birmingham | 32% | 8 |
| Bristol | 32% | 8.8 |
| Leeds | 32% | 8.8 |
| Liverpool | 31% | 6.9 |
| Norwich | 31% | 7.6 |
| Glasgow | 30% | 6.8 |
| Nottingham | 29% | 7.5 |
| Cardiff | 26% | 7.4 |
| Newcastle | 26% | 10 |
| Plymouth | 23% | 6.9 |
| Belfast | 15% | 6.8 |
Source: Uswitch.com
Ben Gallizzi, energy expert at Uswitch.com, commented:
“The energy crisis has changed the way we use energy — and a third of bath-owners have pulled the plug on soaking in the tub.
“Baths require a lot more hot water than showers, meaning they’re a more expensive way of washing. Some consumers have continued taking baths during the energy crisis, but have reduced the amount of water they use to cut costs.”
