New research reveals 56% of 28–43-year-olds in Bristol check their phones during every toilet trip
Scrolling through Bristol Live is just one of the many things you can do on the loo with your phone
More than one in three millennials in Bristol reach for their phones every time they use the toilet, new research has revealed, raising concerns among health experts about hygiene risks.
A survey commissioned by mobile network operator Talkmobile found that 43% of Bristol residents aged between 28 and 43 admitted to checking their phone “every” time they go to the loo.
A further 13% said they “almost always” do – meaning over half (56%) of millennials in the city routinely engage in bog browsing.
The study, which polled 2,000 adults across the UK, highlighted a wider national trend of toilet-time screen use.
Overall, one in four Brits regularly check their phones while using the toilet, with 14% saying they do so “every time” and 11% doing it “nearly always”.
The phenomenon is not limited to millennials. A third (33%) of Generation Z – those aged 18 to 27 – said they too consistently scroll while on the loo.
Men are generally more likely than women to mix wiping with swiping.
Fifteen per cent of men check their phone “every time”, compared with 12% of women. Among millennials, 28% of men do so compared to just 16% of women.
The figures drop significantly with age. Only 14% of Generation X men (aged 44 to 59) and 5% of baby boomer men (aged 60 and over) reported reaching for their phones every time they visit the toilet.
Just 8% of Gen X women and 3% of boomer women said the same.
Talkmobile commissioned the study as part of its campaign to highlight how mobile phones should support – not disrupt – everyday life.
A Talkmobile spokesperson said: “We urge all our customers to be disengaged before they become engaged.”