Home truths that are laid bare in your shopping list

A SHOPPING list can say a lot about where you live, say experts.

If you are from Edinburgh, teabags are likely to feature at the top, followed by a Sunday roast.

But to the West, in Glasgow, the priorities are significantly different. Researchers found the only items ranked more highly than the humble umbrella are scones.

Other Scottish favourites included 99 ice creams, chip butties and baked beans. The healthiest purchase to feature on shopping lists was fruit, which made it to number eight in Glasgow.

South the Border, tastes change, with cities including Liverpool, Sheffield and Newcastle all choosing fish and chips as the most important buy.

People living in Sheffield also proved to have a sweet tooth, with sugary treats such as apple crumble, Victoria sponge and chocolate bars ranked highly on lists compiled from almost a quarter of a million votes cast as part of an online survey to mark Barclaycard’s 50th anniversary.

Katherine Whitton, chief marketing officer for Barclaycard, said: ‘As a nation of foodies, this top ten list proves once and for all that the way to our hearts really is through our stomachs.’

Consumer expert Professor Isabelle Szmigin said: ‘Fish and chips are Britain’s archetypal fast food that everyone can enjoy.

‘The Sunday roast represents our social life when family and friends get together at the weekend.

‘Finally, tea is our all-time comfort drink; whether we have had a hard day at work or want a gossip with friends, tea provides the perfect accompaniment.’