INTRODUCING PEN AMNESTY!

Back in April, we conducted a survey polling 2,000 Brits from all walks of life on their bad habits and we (shockingly 😨) found out that 82%* of Gen Z Brits engage in bad habits when procrastinating from tasks such as studying, including chewing on their pens. This didn’t sit right with us, so we debuted Pen Amnesty at the University of Greenwich in May 2023, allowing students to trade their old, chewed pens for a pack of EXTRA® gum. Although our one-time swap offer is now over, Pen Amnesty is still very much alive, and we are concerned with both the plight of chewed pens and the stress Gen-Z Brits are under. 

WHAT OUR SURVEY SAYS

Surprisingly, half of Gen Z say they chew gum whilst studying, with a noticeable amount of 18–24-year-olds* (193 individuals) saying they had feelings of stress-relief and concentration: 

Alongside this, a whopping 41%* claimed they don’t know how to stop their bad concentration habits. With 1 in 5 Gen Zs feeling embarrassed about their bad habits including pen chewing, the team at EXTRA® has taken matters into their own hands. 

THE EXPERTS ADVICE 

We spoke to NHS media and TV doctor Dr Zoe Williams, she commented on the benefits of chewing gum when it comes to making the most of those studying moments: “Staying focused for longer periods of time can be a difficult task to navigate for some students during study sessions or when gearing up for exam season. Therefore, replacing old habits such as chewing your pen with chewing gum, really would be a no brainer - over a third of our survey respondents can’t work or study without it.”

OUR ROUNDUP 

Unfortunately, you still need to revise for those exams, however based on our survey some find that a piece of gum can help them deal with the unfavourable consequences of studying, whether that be stress, concentration or accidentally chewing your pen. So, grab a pack of Extra gum and get revising!

*All further data points stem from this study. The survey was conducted by Mars Wrigley in partnership with 72Point/One Poll, surveying 2000 people. The survey went live on 12.04.2023 and was completed on 17.04.2023.