Massive increase in UK Google searches for home workouts, fish and chips deliveries and baking recipes during coronavirus lockdown — but 'get a divorce' and condoms are both DOWN

• Reboot Online Marketing Agency looked at how search terms have changed
• Home exercise — including gym equipment and online yoga — are more popular
• As is food delivery and recipes, with people unable to eat out in the lockdown
• Search terms relating to travel and holidays, meanwhile, have predictably fallen

There has been a massive increase in UK Google searches for 'home workouts', 'fish and chips deliveries' and 'baking recipes' during the coronavirus lockdown.

However, the use of search terms like 'get a divorce', 'condoms', 'botox' and 'prom dress' have all fallen radically since people began staying at home.

The findings highlight how lockdown and social distancing measures are having a marked effect on the way we live our lives in the time of COVID-19. 

There has been a massive increase in UK Google searches for 'home workouts', 'fish and chips deliveries' and 'baking recipes' during the coronavirus lockdown. However, the use of search terms like 'get a divorce', 'condoms', 'botox' and 'prom dress' have all fallen radically

The findings highlight how lockdown and social distancing measures are having a marked effect on the way we live our lives in the time of COVID-19

The study — which examined search terms used between January 18 and April 15, 2020 — was conducting by the Reboot Online Marketing Agency.

The investigators used the search engine marketing tools Google Trends and SEMrush to determine what UK internet users have been looking up in lockdown.

They report that, showing the largest lockdown boost, there has been a staggering 3600 per cent increase in people looking online to 'rent gym equipment' as people look to be able to recreate their normal workout routines at home.

Perhaps to replace all those burnt calories, however, the next four search terms that have seen the largest hike in recent weeks are all noticeably food-centric.

These include 'pubs delivering food near me' (up 3,100 per cent), 'fish and chips near me' (up 2,900 per cent), 'baking recipes' (up 2,500) and 'things to make without plain flour (up 2,250 per cent).

The use of search terms like 'get a divorce', 'condoms', 'botox' and 'prom dress' have all fallen radically since people began staying at home

In the UK, the search term 'baking recipes' is up 2,900 per cent sine the lockdown began, according to Reboot. Pictured, the same search term has seen a boost worldwide since mid-February. (Note that these figures are relative — 100 represents peak interest in the term over the three-month period, 50 half that, etc.)

Other terms that have grown in popularity since the lockdown began include 'grow plants', 'yoga online classes', online games and — very specifically — 'banana cake'.

Unsurprisingly, there has also been a 1,700 per cent rise in people looking up information on a 'coronavirus cure'.

Last month, the UK-based charity the Center for Countering Digital Hate launched a campaign to warn people to be wary of the health-related misinformation that has begun circulating in relation to the COVID-19 pandemic — including fake cures.

With people unable to leave their homes during lockdown, the team found a corresponding decrease in search terms related to travel and outside activities. 

These included such terms as 'city breaks' (which has fallen by 99 per cent since the lockdown began), 'travel insurance' (-98 per cent), 'taxi to airport' (-97 per cent), camping sites (-87 per cent) and flights (-86 per cent).

'Other topics of interest include comic con in seventh place (down 93%), prom dress in 16th place (down 85%), and dog shows in 19th place (down 82%),' the researchers said.

This, they added, hints at 'Britain's interests before Coronavirus took hold.'

The full findings of the study can be read on the Reboot Online website.

They report that, showing the largest lockdown boost, there has been a staggering 3600 per cent increase in people looking online to 'rent gym equipment' as people look to be able to recreate their normal workout routines at home

Tom Daley, Becky Adlington and more show how they exercise at home

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Perhaps to replace all those burnt calories, however, the next four search terms that have seen the largest hike in recent weeks are all food-centric. These include 'pubs delivering food near me' (up 3,100 per cent), 'fish and chips near me' (up 2,900 per cent), 'baking recipes' (up 2,500) and 'things to make without plain flour (up 2,250 per cent)

What do police say is 'reasonable behaviour' during the lockdown? 

NECESSITIES

• Buying several days’ worth of food, including luxury items and alcohol.
• Buying a small amount of a staple item or necessity (eg, a newspaper, pet food, a loaf of bread or pint of milk).
• Collecting surplus basic food items from a friend
• Buying tools and supplies to repair a fence panel damaged in recent bad weather  

EXERCISE

• Including: going for a run or cycle or practising yoga. Walking in the countryside or in cities. Attending an allotment. 
• Driving to countryside and walking (where far more time is spent walking than driving).
• Stopping to rest or to eat lunch while on a long walk.
• Exercising more than once per day - the only relevant consideration is whether repeated exercise on the same day can be considered a ‘reasonable excuse’ for leaving home. 

WORK 

• A key worker or other essential worker travelling to work where it is not reasonably possible to work from home.
• A non-key worker or non-essential key worker travelling to work where it is not reasonably possible to work from home.
• A person delivering food packages to vulnerable people.

OTHER REASONS

• Taking an animal for treatment.
• Moving to a friend's address for several days to allow a 'cooling-off' following arguments at home.
• Providing support to vulnerable people.