Those who brought ‘packed’ lunches at home had a far smaller annual lunch bill of only £552, £1,288 less than those who buy it each day. When questioned, more than half (57 per cent) of those who purchased their lunch every day agreed with the statement that dining out daily ‘was an expensive habit’.

Several justifications were offered by respondents for failing to bring lunches to work with them; 47 per cent cited ‘tiredness’, 41 per cent ‘greater choice at work’, 38 per cent ‘lack of time’.

Respondents were also asked where they bought lunches from;

1)      Supermarket – 47 per cent

2)      Company café/refectory – 42 per cent

3)      Restaurant – 35 per cent

4)      Fast food outlet – 27 per cent

5)      Street vendor – 18 per cent

“It’s very easy to slip into a routine of popping to the shop to grab a sandwich rather than planning your weekly or monthly shops to incorporate the components of a homemade lunch, then taking the time to prepare it on top,” said “With increasingly busy lifestyles, it is understandable to see why people are choosing convenience over economy,” Matthew Wood of vouchercloud.com said.

“Obviously, there will be times where making your own lunch isn’t feasible or even possible,” he continued, “however, with these findings, I think those opting for convenience will be alarmed. It seems bonkers not to try and get into a routine of making your own. Think of what the surplus could be spent on instead!”