Desk-bound Brits eat at their workstations while European counterparts picnic in the park

Almost half of working Brits eat their launch at their desks, compared with a third of their European counterparts.

A survey conducted by online recruitment firm Monster, which questioned 17,302 European workers, found that six in 10 respondents in the Czech Republic took time out for a leisurely sit-down lunch, followed by food-loving countries including Italy (53%), France (47%) and Switzerland with 46%. Only two in 10 workers in the UK took time out for lunch.

In Poland, 21% of respondents skipped lunch altogether, followed by 18% of Hungarians. In comparison, less than one in 10 workers in the UK, France and The Netherlands skipped lunch altogether.

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Rob Brouwer, chief executive of Monster UK and Ireland, said: “Our poll demonstrates that, while working practices may be similar across the continent, Europeans hold very different attitudes to the social side of working, such as taking time out at lunchtime.

“Having a proper meal and good walk at lunchtime can also boost energy levels and make workers more productive during the afternoon. Unfortunately, only a quarter of UK workers fall into this category,” Brouwer added.