NEWS RELEASE

People who toss their pancakes have more sex, take bigger risks and earn more money than those who turn them, according to a new study.

A nationwide survey ahead of Shrove Tuesday (tomorrow), has revealed that whether you “toss” or “turn” your pancakes may say more about your personality than you think.

Overall, the majority of Brits prefer to play it safe and turn their pancakes carefully, with the help of a spatula, while 43 percent throw caution to the wind and flip their pancake in the air to turn it.

However, the study uncovered that those who play it safe when it comes to their pancakes are more introvert – with a quarter (24 percent) describing themselves as shy, compared to just 18 percent of those who flip or toss.

A further 33 percent of turners claim they “tend to conform”, while a further 37 percent admit they like to “play by rules”.

However there is something to be said for “turners” – as they are more likely to be loyal and faithful to their partners – with 42 percent saying they have NEVER been unfaithful to partner, compared to just 36 percent of those who toss.

The main reason for preferring to turn a pancake was revealed as “not wanting to take a risk by dropping it” (48 percent), followed by the view that “although tossing pancakes me be fun, it is messy in practice” (36 percent.)

However, on the flip side, those who toss said they did so because it’s simply fun (57 percent), while 48 percent said it just isn’t Pancake Day unless you toss them in the air.

But the poll of 2,000 Brits by Clarks Maple Syrup reveals that the average “tosser” has up to 240 Facebook friends, compared to just 167 for “turners”.

And when it comes to the nation’s sex lives – those who toss their pancakes were revealed to have DOUBLE the amount of sex than those who turn their pancakes – twice a week on average compared to just once for turners.

Those who toss their pancakes also rated themselves higher for their performance between the sheets, awarding themselves with a not too shabby 7 out of ten (for turners it was just a SIX).

Clarks commissioned the research to shine a light on the pancake-making habits of the nation, in the run up to Pancake Day on 13th February.

Commenting on the study’s findings, psychologist and founder of the blog ‘Life and How to Love It!’ Honey Langcaster-James, said “It seems that the way people cook their pancakes is reflective of the way people respond to life in general. Some people are more cautious and play it safe making them dependable and consistent but also sometimes limiting the fun they have and what they can achieve. Others are more confident and take more risks, this can be seen as flamboyant or even unreliable, but it also provides opportunities for more fun and has the potential for a bigger pay off in certain situations.”

Said Bob Clark, founder of Clarks, “We know that Brits love pancakes, especially at this time of year, but that the nation is divided about whether it’s best to toss or turn them. We wanted to find out a bit more about this, and discover whether there is a link between personality type and pancake making method – and were flipping amazed that there does seem to be a correlation.”

When people were asked why they cooked their pancakes the way they did, the main reason for preferring to turn a pancake was revealed as “not wanting to take a risk by dropping it” (48 percent), followed by the view that “although tossing pancakes may be fun, it is messy in practice” (36 percent.)

Honey said “This survey certainly indicates that there may be some interesting differences on the personality front between those who toss and those who turn, although further research would be necessary to establish the strength of the relationship between pancake making and personality traits. It would be fascinating to see if people recognise themselves as having the particular personality traits associated with the cooking types, and whether they do actually ‘Toss’ or ‘Turn’ their pancakes when it comes to the big day itself.”

Bob Clark added “Whether you decide to toss or turn your pancake tomorrow, the main thing is to have some fun and enjoy your pancake however you like it, whether drenched in maple syrup, sprinkled in sugar and lemon, or slathered in chocolate spread! And if you’re one of the 43%, and a few pancakes end up on the floor before they make it to the plate, take comfort in the fact that our research shows there are some tangible benefits to being a Tosser.”

ENDS

Contact harriet@gingercomms.com for more details