2026-06-10 13:00:54

Britain’s reputation for polite restraint is being put to the test by the daily commute, with new research revealing most passengers are too anxious to confront fellow travellers, even when they are being driven to distraction.

The study found 77 per cent of Brits are annoyed by other people on public transport, while one in 20 admit they become irritated every time they travel.

Yet despite the frustration, a staggering 93 per cent say they would never challenge another passenger over their behaviour, with one in eight confessing they stay silent purely because of anxiety.

Food appears to be one of the biggest flashpoints.

Almost half (49 per cent) of commuters admitted that watching other people eat gives them the “ick”, particularly when fellow passengers tuck into smelly, messy or noisy meals.

The worst offending foods were fish and chips and other fish-based meals, which annoyed 35 per cent of respondents, followed by boiled eggs (32 per cent), fast food such as McDonald’s, Burger King and KFC (26 per cent), tuna sandwiches (23 per cent) and egg mayonnaise sandwiches (22 per cent).

Strong-smelling crisps including salt and vinegar flavours irritated 18 per cent, while flaky pastries such as croissants and pain au chocolat annoyed 12 per cent.

Sushi (11 per cent), salmon and cream cheese bagels (10 per cent) and sausage or bacon breakfast rolls (seven per cent) also made the top 10 list.

Strong-smelling foods were cited as a major irritation by 18 per cent of those surveyed, while 13 per cent said loud chewing was enough to ruin a journey.

The findings highlight a growing commuter breakfast dilemma.

More than a third (34 per cent) said they regularly eat during their journey because they do not have time for breakfast at home.

At the same time, many are worried about becoming someone else’s pet hate.

The research, commissioned by meal replacement brand yfood, found 42 per cent would consider switching to a drink-based breakfast if it helped reduce commuter irritation, while 31 per cent believe ready-to-drink breakfasts could save valuable time in the morning.

Food was not the only source of tension.

Loud phone calls or people playing music and videos out loud topped the list of annoying behaviours at 42 per cent.

Body odour followed at 34 per cent, while bags or feet on seats (28 per cent), leaving rubbish behind (27 per cent) and taking up too much space or manspreading (22 per cent) also ranked highly.

Etiquette expert William Hanson, and yfood’s Commuter Code champion, said: “This travelling tension is a symptom of a wider cultural reluctance to address poor behaviour publicly.

“Public transport has always operated on unspoken social rules, and the British tendency is to observe those rules being broken in total silence.

“The result is journeys that are far more stressful than they need to be. That’s why I’ve partnered with yfood to try and help people to elevate the commuter experience, for themselves and their fellow passengers.”

He added: “The smoothest journeys are not those where passengers politely endure poor behaviour, but those where no one gives others a reason to intervene in the first place. A little consideration spares the carriage from developing the ick.

“Aim for sustenance, not a statement. The finest commuter breakfasts are quietly efficient: satisfying, tasty, convenient and entirely inconspicuous to those around you. In matters of breakfast etiquette, subtlety is a virtue. Leave the eggs at home, please.

Pete Rosier, Brand Director at yfood, added: “Commuters are caught in an impossible position – time poor but hungry in the morning and severely aware of how eating on the go comes across to those around them.

“That tension is very real, and it’s exactly the gap yfood is designed to fill. A breakfast that’s delicious, mess-free and inoffensive to the person.

“With many commuters avoiding eating due to concerns around smells, mess and disruption, yfood is a smarter breakfast solution that offers a tasty, easy, convenient and mess-free solution to help fuel passengers’ busy mornings without becoming another’s commuter ick.”

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