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Lunch that packs a punch.

Lunch that packs a punch: 7 in 10 Brits can’t stand the smell of their co-workers lunches.

What you choose to eat at your desk could make or break your relationship with colleagues, according to new research released today. An online office brokerage has revealed that nearly 80% of workers think eating smelly lunches at a desk is unprofessional and that 40% think a burger and fries is the worst offending smelly food.

The survey, conducted by www.officebroker.com, delved into the minds and lunchboxes of 1,250 UK office workers to discover what bothers them the most about smelly lunches – and which foods are causing the most discomfort in the workplace.

Nearly 80% of office-based workers said they strongly believed eating a smelly lunch at your desk is unprofessional, and 68% say it’s just downright annoying and it’s your female coworkers who are more likely to be judging your lunch choices than the males.

When it comes to the crunch however, only just over half the people surveyed say they would back a stinky food ban.

It seems burgers with fries cause the most bother, with 40% of people saying it’s not a happy meal when they get a whiff of greasy fast food in their workspace. Curry comes in a close second and soup spills into third place with 22 and 12 percent of votes respectively.

• Fast Food Burger and Fries (McDonalds, Burger King) 40%
• Curry 22%
• Soups 12%
• Fast Food Chicken and Fries (KFC, Nandos) 11%
• Chinese food 8%
• Strong smelling meat sandwiches 7%

Fast food chicken and fries, Chinese food and strong smelling meat sandwiches are also among the top foods causing office angst.

While 42% of Brits say they are solely irritated by the smell of the food, another third admit it actually makes them feel hungry. 18% say they are put off their own lunch when they smell their co-workers lunches and a surprising 8% say a colleague’s lunch can make them feel sick.

CEO of OfficeBroker.com, Chris Meredith said “the results clearly show that the majority of Brits don’t like people munching on stinky meals in the workplace – but won’t take a stand. One solution is to think before you eat.” The solution, he says, is to think before you eat. ‘Unless you want to be labelled a lunchbox culprit, certain foods may require open-air consumption or possibly a canteen setting.’

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by VP .