Britons lose food worth £171 million to seagulls each year, according to a new study. 71 percent of respondents reported that seagulls had stolen their food or attempted to do so. Thus, an encounter with a thieving seagull has become almost as common for Britons as buying fish and chips.
Researchers estimated the total value of food that seagulls steal or attempt to steal at £171,889,518 per year. The calculation is based on a survey of 2,000 adult residents of the UK and considers the proportion of people targeted by seagulls, the average number of actual thefts in the last 12 months (0.8), and the average value of food during theft or attempted theft (£5.50).
What seagulls most often steal
Traditional portions of fish and chips with cod are most often targeted by seagulls: 72 percent of respondents reported their food was stolen or attempted to be stolen. Next on the list are sandwiches (21 percent) and ice cream (20 percent).
Following the publication of the study results, the insurance comparison service Compare the Market launched the UK’s first “Gull Guarantee” program at Peter’s Fish Factory in Margate. From Thursday, customers whose fish and chips are stolen by a hungry seagull can get a free replacement portion. Compare the Market has allocated £1,000 to cover such cases until the funds are exhausted.
Charlie Evans, a financial expert at Compare the Market, stated: “We have all been in this situation — you sit down with your chips, look away for two seconds, and suddenly your lunch grows wings. Seagulls have long had a reputation as thieves who steal right from your hands, so we wanted to find out how much this bold coastal crime costs Britons. It turns out that seagulls are not just stealing our food — they are also robbing our wallets.”
More than three-quarters of Britons (76 percent) reported changing the location or method of eating outdoors to prevent seagulls from stealing their food. Nearly a third (32 percent) said they had completely given up on food, dropped it, or left it for the seagulls. Over four in ten (43 percent) hid their lunch from seagulls, and nearly a third (31 percent) ate faster to protect their food. 69 percent of those targeted said seagulls had stolen their food or attempted to do so more than once.
Even those who managed to keep their lunch often witnessed seagull attacks: 82 percent of Britons saw someone else fall victim to food theft. Britons also reported attempts by seagulls to steal everything from children’s toys (9 percent) to cans or bottles of drinks (7 percent). It seems almost nothing is off-limits for these birds.
Source: The Independent UK
