UK consumers would swap fruit for fibre

UK citizens are reluctant to lose internet access to save money

UK consumers are making a number of sacrifices in order to survive the tough economic climate, according to a survey from BT, but they will not give up the internet.

The telecoms giant asked respondents how they were changing their lives in order to save money. Over half said that, whatever happened, they would not give up their broadband connections.

Other staples, such as chocolate, television and alcohol, are apparently given up more easily; just 25 per cent, 22 per cent and 17 per cent respectively said that that they would definitely not give them up.

Fresh fruit and veg (are you reading this Jamie Oliver?) came in second, with 43 per cent of respondents saying that they would stay loyal to healthy eating while making other sacrifices.

"This attachment to communications is less absurd than it might initially seem," said personal finance expert and TV presenter Alvin Hall.

"Clearly fresh fruit and vegetables should be top of everyone's must have list, but staying connected offers a vital lifeline in this 24/7 society we all now live in.

"Broadband offers access to myriad ways of saving money: searching for the cheapest deal, selling unwanted goods, downloading discount vouchers, entering competitions and even taking part in surveys like this one in return for cash."

John Petter, managing director of BT's Consumer division, added: "Savvy savers have already worked out how they can use technology to their advantage, with almost half of people using the internet to search for bargains on comparison sites and one in six starting to use their landline instead of their mobile."

Around three-quarters (71 per cent) of people have tightened their belts since the credit crunch started, the most popular money-saving tactic being to stay in more often, at 62 per cent of respondents.