Brits are a nation wracked by guilt – we even really feel dangerous for consuming chips

On Jun 10, 2026

80% of Brits feel bad for everyday things we shouldn’t – everything from a bit of me time to a bowl of chips gets us feeling guilty, new research shows

14:41, 09 Jun 2026

It’s official: We are a nation wracked with guilt, with eight in ten (80%) admitting they feel bad for everyday things they really shouldn’t – an average of eight times a month.

New research, conducted by Marella Cruises, TUI’s UK cruise line, reveals four in ten (39%) Brits feel bad simply for having some ‘me’ time, while a third (31%) suffer a pang of guilt when they cancel on friends or take too long to text them back (30%).

A further 31% admit to feeling awkward when they cross the road to avoid ‘chit chat’ with a neighbour.

Calling in sick to work, even when genuinely ill (29%), leaving the bed unmade (28%), eating chips (27%) and throwing away a small amount of food (27%) are also everyday guilt triggers, along with staying in PJs past 10am (25%) and not calling parents often enough (25%).

Food appears to be a constant source of guilt with 23% feeling it after saying ‘yes’ to a slice of cake, 22% after eating two biscuits instead of one, and 20% after ordering a Friday night takeaway when they could have cooked.

And even though the weather may be improving, one in six (14%) still feel guilty about sneaking the heating on, while one in ten (11%) feel bad when they watch TV in the summer.

With all this guilt, it’s no surprise that 69% admit they struggle to properly switch off, spending just 67 minutes a week relaxing. 86% go a step further and say they regularly feel guilty about sitting down to relax when there are other things they could be doing.

As a result, four in ten (40%) feel like they are always on the go, with a further 22% worried that they are close to burning out.

When it comes to how deeply ingrained the nation’s productivity culture has become, four in ten (41%) think that social media has put pressure on people to constantly stay active and busy.

So strong is this pressure that 40% of Brits confess to hiding their lazy downtime on social media to appear more productive, with 42% admitting that they have felt pressured to do things – like going to a party (38%), the park (34%), the gym (30%), tourist hotspots on holiday (28%) and even cooking healthy food (27%) – when they don’t actually want to, simply so they can share it on social media.

The nation’s collective guilt and stress don’t end there though, two thirds (61%) admit they struggle to relax on holiday, even when sunbathing on a lounger.

Getting to the airport on time (51%), the fear of getting lost (34%), packing the right clothes (33%), organising transfers (29%) and finding nice places to eat (27%) all leave Brits feeling anxious.

It’s no wonder that, on average, it takes Brits three days of a week-long break to fully unwind.

To encourage guilt-free relaxation on holiday, Marella Cruises has designed the ultimate one-stop-shop outfit solution. The world’s first PJkini removes decision fatigue and encourages guests to fully switch off – without a hint of guilt.

Styled by Denise van Outen, who returns this year as Marella Cruises’ Chief Chill-Out Officer, this lazy hack champions a more relaxed approach to holidays and encourages Brits to ditch the guilt and embrace doing absolutely nothing during a well-deserved break.

With Marella Cruises, every aspect of your holiday is taken care of. Offering all-inclusive cruise holidays with full end-to-end service – including flights, cabins, entertainment, food and drinks, trips, and transfers – Marella Cruises also provides regional flying from over 20 UK airports, alongside a range of cruise-and-stay options, making switching off effortless from start to finish

Denise van Outen said: “I’m absolutely thrilled to be back as Marella Cruises’ Chief Chill-Out Officer. I’ve always loved holidays and everything they’re meant to be about – switching off, having fun and properly relaxing – so I know just how hard it can be for Brits to actually do that without feeling guilty.

“That’s why I love the PJkini. As the world’s first swimwear-meets-nightwear hybrid, it’s the ultimate lazy hack for anyone who wants to maximise relaxation from the moment their holiday begins. It’s fun, practical, and basically says: stop faffing and enjoy yourself. Holiday mode should start before you even step onboard, not days into your break. With this, it’s just easy, effortless relaxation all the way.”

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The study also found that more than a third (35%) think that as a nation, Brits need to “chill out”, while eight in ten (80%) believe feeling guilty is a uniquely British trait, earning the phenomenon the title of “Very British Guilt”.

TOP ‘VERY BRITISH GUILT TRIPS’:

Enjoying some ‘me time’ – 39%
Cancelling on your friends – 31%
Crossing the road to avoid ‘chit chat’ with a neighbour – 31%
Not texting your friends back for a few days – 30%
Calling in sick to work, even when you’re genuinely ill – 29%
Leaving your bed unmade – 28%
Eating chips – 27%
Throwing away a small amount of food – 27%
Staying in your PJs past 10am – 25%
Being hungover – 25%
Not calling your parents – 25%
Lying in past 9.30am on a Saturday – 25%
Saying ‘yes’ to a slice of cake – 23%
Having two biscuits instead of one – 22%
Ordering a Friday night takeaway when you could have cooked – 20%
Not taking the bins out – 19%
Staying in the shower for too long – 19%
Going out for dinner, when you have food at home – 17%
Reading your book when you could be doing chores – 16%
Bingeing a TV show in one sitting – 15%
Putting the heating on in May – 14%
Skipping the gym – 14%
Spending Sunday in your PJs – 13%
Taking the lift to the first floor – 12%
Only taking your dog for a short walk – 12%
Cancelling a date – 11%
Watching TV in the summer – 11%
Taking an Uber when you could have got the bus – 10%
Running a deep bath – 9%
Arranging a food delivery rather than going to the shops – 9%