Britons utter the word ‘sorry’ more than 3,000-times a year, a new study reveals as we apologise for squeezing past people, asking for help … and even sneezing. Researchers studied a group of 2,000 Britons and found that, on average, we utter the word “sorry” as many as nine times a day or 3,285 times a year.
According to the study, 90 percent of us routinely apologise for things which weren’t even our fault, such as somebody bumping into us – and a third of us admit apologising for small things is a “uniquely British trait”. While 78 percent of Brits routinely apologise for accidentally barging into someone as you pass them on the street, and 64 percent say “sorry” when trying to squeeze past someone in a queue.
The study by Interflora found over half (58 percent) seek forgiveness when accidentally treading on someone’s foot and 57 percent apologise when they accidentally interrupt someone.
Asking someone to repeat what they said (46 percent), answering the phone when someone is with you (40 percent), sneezing (36 percent) and even coughing (34 percent) also produce an apology from Brits.
Also needing a staff member having to come to help you at the supermarket self-checkout (25 percent) or someone holding the door for you, so you have to run (24 percent) prompt a ‘sorry’.
One in five of us admit we say sorry when asking a colleague to do something at work, while 19 percent of us apologise when someone accidentally treads on our foot.
However while we may be quick to apologise for the small stuff, as many as two thirds of us admit it’s easier to say sorry for something small, than something bigger – like hurting a friend’s feelings.
As many as 29 percent feel that sorry really is the hardest word when you’ve fallen out with a friend or family member.
In fact, half (53 percent) have fallen out with a loved one for more than a year and still haven’t plucked up the courage to make amends.
Despite these challenges, over two thirds (69 percent) would like to reach out to a friend they’ve fallen out with.
It comes as Interflora launched their ‘Make Amends May’ campaign this month – https://www.interflora.co.uk/page/making-amends-with-your-friends
Bethany Day, Brand Manager at Interflora, said: “We’re a nation that says sorry without thinking – for sneezing, for asking too many questions, even when someone else bumps into us.
“But our research shows when it comes to the apologies that really matter, like mending a broken friendship or owning up to hurting someone we care about, we seriously struggle.
“We’re happy to have partnered with illustrator, Lucy Claire Dunbar, who has designed a beautiful, bespoke card, to help people reach out and make amends with a friend, as part of our ‘Make Amends May’ campaign.”