Brits Admit Social Avoidance Is a National Pastime, but Shared Snacking Could Be the Cure

• New research from Pringles reveals that 82% of Brits feel socially awkward in everyday public situations
• Taking out their phone to avoid eye contact (68%), walking to the next station to avoid conversation (28%) and pretending not to hear someone (34%) top the list of Brits’ avoidant behaviour
• Pringles has launched The Social Snacking Experiment: a candid, on-the-street social challenge of whether sharing a snack can cut through Britain’s unspoken social rules and whether sharing a tube of Pringles can spark spontaneous conversations between strangers
• Fronted by Celebrity Traitors star Joe Marler and popular content creator Joe Baggs, the video captures real, unscripted reactions as strangers are encouraged to simply Pass the Pringles and spark moments of connection 

Pringles has launched “The Social Snacking Experiment” a UK campaign exploring whether sharing snacks can help overcome social awkwardness.

New research commissioned by the brand found that 82% of British adults feel socially awkward in everyday public situations. From compulsive apologising to mastering avoiding eye contact, British awkwardness isn’t just a stereotype. In fact, a whopping 82% of Brits admit they feel awkward in social situations, with many going to great lengths to avoid social interaction.

A new study released today by Pringles found that 68% of Brits admit to taking out their phone purely to avoid eye contact in public, while over a quarter (28%) have walked to the next bus stop or station to avoid bumping into someone they know. From pretending to not hear someone (34%) to pretending to be asleep (11%), avoiding conversation has become something of a national reflex.

Lifts (41%), waiting rooms (39%) and public transport (34%) were ranked among the most awkward places to strike up a chat, while over half (56%) of the nation believes that British people are more reserved than other nationalities.

And yet - beneath the hesitation, there’s a clear appetite for connection and small, playful moments that brighten the day. The vast majority (81%) say they feel happier on days when they’ve had even a brief, friendly interaction with a stranger. Nearly seven in 10 (69%) enjoy spontaneous social interactions, and 52% agree that small moments of connection, even fleeting ones, can positively impact their day. 

So what’s the easiest way to break the ice? Encouragingly, over half (65%) of Brits believe that sharing food makes conversations easier and helps break down social barriers, while 40% believe it’s easier to talk to people over snacks - turning everyday exchanges into meaningful moments.

To put that theory to the test, Pringles has launched The Social Snacking Experiment: A playful social experiment that puts Brits' awkwardness to the test and encourages playful connections through the sharing of snacks.

The experiment unfolds in some of London’s busiest hotspots, where commuters and passers-by are typically lost in their own worlds. On the ground, Joe Baggs takes on the challenge of stopping members of the public mid-scroll and mid-stride, but he’s not entirely in control. From a nearby van, Joe Marler playfully calls the shots in real time, choosing who Joe should approach and occasionally throwing in curveballs designed to derail him and take the interaction down a hilarious and unexpected route.

The result is a series of candid, on-the-street interactions that are unpredictable, chaotic and surprisingly heartwarming, proving that even the smallest gesture, like passing a tube of Pringles, can spark genuine connection.

The Social Snacking Experiment forms part of Pringles’ wider new brand platform, Pass the Pringles, now rolling out across the UK and Europe. Built on the simple insight that people don’t just enjoy eating Pringles, they enjoy sharing them, the campaign celebrates the power of passing a tube to spark playful, feel-good connections and turn everyday encounters into meaningful shared moments.