Is Britain pulling plug on gadgets?
As we spend more time shopping for fishing rods, board games, jigsaws, colouring books and plastic model kits ...
WITH a constant stream of hightech entertainment at our disposal via smartphones and tablets, many fear the simpler pursuits of the past are doomed to the attic.
But it seems board games, jigsaws, colouring books, fishing rods and plastic model kits are proving an antidote to the computer games, streaming box sets and social media competing for our attention.
A study of eBay sales over the past year suggests many of us – particularly parents – are increasingly turning our backs on so-called ‘always-on’ technology. The auction website’s UK Retail Report said: ‘Searches for adult and kids’ fishing rods peaked in April and May, rising nearly threefold on the same period in 2017, as families sought safe places to fish on our rivers and coastlines.
‘This was part of a wider trend towards family outings and staycations, as eBay saw rising sales of four-person tents.
‘Amid concerns over the amount of screen time our children are exposed to, parents are also adopting a “back to basics” approach to extricate their kids from their tablets, with sales of outdoor activity sets like rounders bats, tennis rackets and boules all up by a quarter year on year.’
It added: ‘In the era of computer game phenomena such as Fortnite, Candy Crush and Clash of Clans, fears that board games belong in the attic appear to be misguided. ‘In fact, board games have enjoyed something of a renaissance and have become a regular fixture in pubs and cafes.’ Sales of classic games like Cluedo and snakes and ladders rose by 50 per cent in December compared to the same month in 2016, with Jumanji – based on the hit film – was the most popular board game for children. Monopoly and Scrabble, popular with families for decades, are still proving a hit – with more than 1,000 daily searches during peak shopping periods.
The average Briton now spends six hours a day looking at screens, which is thought to affect our ability to concentrate. It may be one of the reasons eBay noticed a rise in interest in the concept of ‘mindfulness’ – meditative practices designed to boost mental stimulation and relaxation.
The report said: ‘Searches for mindfulness have increased 25 per cent over the past two years as we’ve sought to declutter our heads… [and] detach ourselves from the connected world. There are over 100,000 listings for adult colouring books on eBay UK, with animals a particularly popular colouring-in theme. Over threequarters of buyers are women.’
There has also been a revival of interest in painting, with sales of blank canvasses up by a third on last year.
There were more than 500 eBay searches a day for jigsaw puzzles last year – double the number for 2014 and 2015. The website said model kits – of everything from Spitfires to Star Wars spaceships – are also popular.
There are more than 325,000 listings, with 400 searches every day. The UK vicepresident of eBay, Rob Hattrell, said: ‘It’s fascinating to see that we’re increasingly investing in products that help us to enjoy quality time without technology.’
‘Cluedo and snakes and ladders’