Hot tubs, llamas and robots: the weirdest things you bought during lockdown

Take a look at the strange things people have bought during the pandemic

Author: Mick CoylePublished 18th Jan 2021
Last updated 18th Jan 2021

It's fair to say this pandemic has lasted longer than most of us expected, so we decided to find out the most unusual things you've bought to help get through it... and you have bought some unusual things.

Internet shopping can lead to some interesting purchases at the best of times, but with the lockdowns some of us have been buying some unusual items.

We asked our listeners what sort of things they've bought and the results are a real eye opener!

The coronavirus pandemic survey

As well as finding out whether you've bought any pink skateboards or bike-shaped pizza cutters (yes both of those things appeared in the results) we also found out what you wanted to do once the pandemic was over and how you've coped with it all.

It turns out more than half of you plan to go on holiday, but 1 in 7 people said they were most looking forward to the pubs opening again!

You can see all the results from our coronavirus pandemic survey here, including who you want to hug most once we're allowed to.

Oddest purchases during lockdown

So it turns out all that time indoors has driven a few people to buy some odd things.

Check out our gallery of the strange things you've told us you've bought:

Lots of people sponsored a llama


Balls of wool for knitting


Hot tub sales sky rocketed!


Some people bought robot hoovers to help with the housework


Shed extensions were also popular


And then people bought beer machines to put in their shed-bars!


Ring lights also proved popular to improve lighting while working from home


First for all the latest news from across the UK every hour on Hits Radio on DAB, at hitsradio.co.uk and on the Hits Radio app.

We've been asking you how you've coped during lockdown so far, as well as what your aspirations are once we've seen the back of coronavirus.

We also asked if you've bought anything strange on the internet... but more of that later.

Our survey says...

Our survey was conducted between Saturday 9th January and Friday 15th. It found...

  • 54% of people say their biggest ambition for 2021 is to meet up with friends and family
  • 14% said their priority was going to the pub
  • 7% said they had to focus on finding a new job

Who will you hug?

Parents came top of the list of people to hug once we're done with Covid 19. Around 1 in 3 want to wrap their arms around mum and dad.

Just under one in five of us are planning on hugging their grandparent or grandchildren.

One in 20 are saving themselves for a work colleague.

Friends also came high up on the list. After months of social isolating, a quarter of us will hug a friend first.

So long, 2020!

Most of us will be glad to see the back of 2020, but its not been all doom and gloom.

  • 42% of people say they've lived through worse years, while 1 in 5 are still undecided
  • Half told us spending more time with their family was a 2020 bonus.
  • One in 10 enjoyed learning a new skill, watching TV or doing a hobby.

And while most people's relationship with the neighbours stayed the same, one in five said it improved, while one in 10 said it was worse now than back in March.

Long term impact

Around 60% of people who took part in the survey said their biggest take-home from the pandemic was to appreciate family and friends more.

Just over 10% were concerned about their long term mental health, and slightly fewer said the loss of a loved one would be their resounding memory of the coronavirus pandemic.

And focus on jobs was never far away, although just one in 50 were actively looking forward to going back to the office