A recent study by travel experts Oliver’s Travels highlights what items Britons like to take abroad, in line with their launch of ‘home from home delivery service’.
January is officially upon us and following the trend of years past, Britons are busier than ever booking their holidays for the upcoming year. As Britons clamour to get a deal to their dream destinations, a study suggests they’ll be logging onto their online food delivery service straight after.
Half (52%) of holidaymakers take ‘typically British’ food on holiday with them, with tea (37%), custard creams or digestives (16%) and even baked beans (7%) making it into people’s suitcases.
The poll by Oliver’s Travels shows two-fifths (40%) take these items because they think they won’t find them abroad while 34% believe the ones available overseas don’t taste the same. When it comes to a brew, half (48%) agree that tea just doesn’t taste like tea outside the UK.
Psychologist, Honey Langcaster-James, said: "Travel is as much ingrained in the British psyche as tea is, but the extent to which the two seem to go together is surprising"
"Many Britons appear to want to take a piece of home with them on holiday as a creature comfort and the Great British institution that is our beloved cup of tea has made it to the top of the list!".
The Top-6 Most Common ‘British Staples’ to Pack are:
- Tea Bags (37% of people do)
- Coffee (23%)
- Custard creams or digestives (16%)
- Favourite cereal (9%)
- Marmite (8%) and British cheese (8%)
- Baked beans (7%)
It’s not just the extra baggage allowance people should be considering when packing British food staples on holiday: two-thirds (68%) don’t know or can’t cite a country where they might be breaking the law if they failed to declare tea through Customs.
Australia, for example, expressly demands that herbal tea be declared. The New Zealand Government’s website states If you don't declare food you're bringing in, you will be fined and the food will be confiscated. The U.S Customs and Border Protection agency cites: Even if you believe a food item is able to enter – failure to declare food products can result in up to $10,000 in fines and penalties.
Not Just Food & Drink
Britons don’t just use suitcase space on food and drinks:
- 22% pack slippers – with 25 – 34 year olds the most likely to
- 1 in 20 (4%) will bring their own toilet roll
- 1 in 10 (9%) will pack their own pillows
- 7% choose to bring a picture of their family
Oliver’s Travels’ concierge service will be offering a Home from Home Delivery Service for its most popular destinations, where Britons longing for a piece of home can pre-order a hamper to greet them at their destination. The pack will include: PG Tips Tea Bags, Kenco instant Coffee, Chocolate Digestives, Weetabix, Jaffa Cakes, Cadbury’s Dairy Milk, Branston Pickle, Marmite, Tabasco, Canderel sweetener, Lea and Perrins Worcestershire sauce, HP brown sauce, Heinz Ketchup, Heinz Baked Beans, Cathedral City cheddar cheese, Andrex toilet paper.
Oliver Bell from Oliver’s Travels said: "The UK has long been a nation of explorers who love the idea of visiting far-flung lands and being introduced to diverse cultures".
"But having that explorers’ nature doesn’t mean we don’t long for home occasionally"
"Sometimes that can mean being close to loved ones or in familiar surroundings and other times, as this research points out, it’s as simple as having our favourite tea, baked beans or toilet roll!’"
"As Brits book their holidays this year, our concierge service will be offering a ‘Home from Home Delivery Service’ which will bring a hamper of British staples to your holiday".
"In it will be everything from Worcestershire sauce and the nations’ favourite yeast extract to pickle and, of course, tea".
"For those who face increased luggage allowance costs or, theoretically, the wrath of Customs, this ‘Home from Home Delivery Service’ may provide the perfect solution".
Theodore is the Co-Founder and Managing Editor of TravelDailyNews Media Network; his responsibilities include business development and planning for TravelDailyNews long-term opportunities.
