New data from Virgin Media O2 Business’ Movers Index reveals ‘sweet treat’ spending at work is on the rise. As Brits return to the office en masse, office workers are shelling out an estimated £57 million* per week on chocolate.
Despite 82% of people adjusting their spending habits at the start of this year, largely due to rising costs, office perks and in-person work culture are contributing to an uptick in spending. More than half (54%) of workers are more likely to buy sweet treats and snacks when in the office compared to working from home, with 52% treating themselves as a reward for going into the office and 24% buying more in the past three months.
Choc O’Clock: The top treats revealed
Many Brits treat themselves to little indulgences ‘most days’ when working in the office. The most common treats for office workers to consume most days they work in the office are coffee (49%), soft drinks (47%), sweets and chocolates (40%) and breakfast items (40%). The top chocolate bars Brits purchase when in the office are Cadbury Dairy Milk (21%), KitKat (15%), Cadbury Twirl (10%), Kinder Bueno (10%), and Galaxy (9%).
For many workers, treating themselves during office hours is about more than just consumption; 38% say it helps boost their energy, 37% use it to improve their mood, and 34% see it as an opportunity to take a break from work. This trend is particularly strong among Gen Z professionals, with 86% purchasing small treats at least once a week.
Recognising the importance of treats in the office to workers, a third (33%) of businesses have increased office perks and amenities. Food-based benefits include free lunches on certain days (23%), free drinks (22%), free snacks (17%) and even free pizza (11%).
A Sweet Reward
As discretionary spending shifts towards the treat culture, weekend indulgences have also evolved, as 38% cut back on non-essential purchases. Eating a takeaway at home is the most popular way to celebrate a weekend evening for 36% of Brits, over and above visiting a pub or bar (17%) and heading out for a Sunday roast (17%). Eating a dessert or sweet treat at home is favoured by 34%.
Almost half of Brits (45%) expect their spending to decrease over the next three months, particularly Gen Z (61%). Despite this, workplace culture is playing a key role in sustaining the ‘sweet treat economy’ and continues to bring people to the shops.
For Brits looking to save money while still getting a chocolate fix, Priority from O2 is giving away two million exclusive rewards and prizes this year via new customer initiative ‘Blue Mondays’. Prizes range from free Tony’s Chocolonely bars to holiday vouchers from lastminute.com, all designed to give customers something to smile about at the start of every week.
Jessica O’Connor, Product Director at Virgin Media O2 Business, commented: “The way people work has changed, and so have their spending habits. Small treats are becoming an essential part of office culture, helping employees take a quick break and to return feeling energised. This trend isn’t just good for morale, it’s making a real impact on the wider economy, driving spending in local shops, cafés, and physical retail stores.
“With businesses creating more inviting work environments and employees spending more time in the office, the workplace is a vital hub for economic activity—one chocolate bar at a time.”
As businesses look to ensure their employees have the support they need, in the office and at home, it’s important to have the right connectivity and digital workplace tools in place. Powering people to connect, collaborate and work efficiently wherever they are. Find out about Virgin Media O2 Business’ solutions to boost efficiency, bolster security and improve collaboration here.
From retailers to public sector organisations, Virgin Media O2 Business’ team of data experts support companies of all sizes to understand these trends and use them to make strategic decisions. With accurate mobile data that provides a rich picture of customer movement, find the full report and access all the emerging working and shopping trends here.
*Total number of UK workers = 33.98 million [UK Labour Market Statistics, House of Commons Library, 13 May 2025]. Proportion of all UK workers that are office workers = 39% [Our Sweet Treat Survey Sample]. 33.98 million x 0.39 = 13,252,200 office workers. 64% of office workers buy chocolate treats on a weekly basis [Our Sweet Treat Survey]. 13,252,200 x 0.64 = 8,481,408 office workers that buy chocolate treats on a weekly basis. The average office worker spends £6.71 per week on chocolate treats while at work [Our Sweet Treat Survey]. 8,481,408 x £6.71 = £56,910,248 spent per calendar week by office workers on chocolate treats.
Notes
- O2 Motion is a service that uses anonymised and aggregated data created by the mobile phone network to offer insight into movement trends across the UK. As mobile devices connect to different masts, they create data footprints which O2 can then anonymise, aggregate, and extrapolate in order to gain a picture of how people are travelling, when they make journeys and which areas they visit.
- O2 Motion is based on connection data between a device and the phone mast only. It does not collect GPS data and the service isn’t used for ‘contact tracing’.
Strand Partners’ specialist research team conducted a nationally representative online survey of 2,002 people and 2,004 businesses between 28/03/2025 – 31/03/2025 and another survey of 1,020 members of the UK public between 15/05/2025 – 16/05/2025. The surveys were representative by age, gender and NUTS 1 region. Strand Partners is a member of the British Polling Council and abides by its rules.
