cigarette-n-beerLONDON - Recession-hit Britons are increasingly turning to booze and cigarettes to beat the economic blues, according to a survey.

More and more stressed-out adults in the country are compromising on their health as they are guzzling more alcohol and puffing on more cigarettes than they did before the crunch hit.

And in a desperate bid to save cash on weekly bills, cash-strapped families are switching from healthy fruit ‘n’ veggies to cheap junk food.

The survey by mysupermarket.com, which monitors online sales at Britain’s major supermarkets, has recorded this worrying surge in unhealthy lifestyles.

The frightening data, recorded since the beginning of the recession in 2007, has revealed that there has been an upsurge of 35.7 per cent in cigarette sales, while beer sales have increased by 11 per cent.

The findings of the survey revealed that ready meal sales have raised by 18 per cent, while junk food sales are up 17 per cent.

On the other hand, fruit sales have gone down by eight per cent, with vegetable sales have plummeted by seven per cent.

The findings also revealed that organic grub sales were down by a whopping 23.7 per cent.

“It’s worrying that people are choosing wealth over health in the recession. The nation is becoming unhealthier because there is a misconception that healthy foods are more expensive than snacks,” the News of the World quoted David Soskin of mysupermarket.com as saying.

The rise of fag sales could be down to cash-strapped smokers buying cartons of 200 cigs as part of their weekly shop rather than a pack of 20 on an evening out.

The rise in the sales of beer (11 per cent) and white wine (nine per cent) is partly because Brits are drinking at home rather than going to the pub in order to try and save the pennies.

Families are also stocking up on ready meals because they have stopped eating out as the credit crunch bites.

Soskin added: “People seem to be opting for more nights in over spending time in the pub. The popularity of ready meals is soaring as people try to recreate that Friday night atmosphere at ome.” (ANI)

Edit: The article originally used the word fag for cigarettes. Unfortunately fag, in modern North American and Australian English is a highly pejorative term, for a gay or effeminate man. Additionally fag also means students who act as a servant for older boys, in British public schools. The article was edited to replace all mention of fag with cigarette, which is the intended meaning in this context.