Research has found Brits will spend over £3k to help alleviate hay fever symptoms across their lifetime but this year many are switching the medicine for something more long-term.
Hay fever sufferers are shelling out more than £3,600 on medication over their lifetime – despite some not being convinced they actually work. A poll of 1,000 people with the allergy found 62% will go through up to two boxes of antihistamine tablets per month, with half using the same amount on spray.
A constant runny nose also means a quarter will go through three or more loo rolls a week during the high-pollen season. These remedies see them part with around £59 a year, or £3,697 over the average adult lifetime. Despite the vast amount of medication, 28% claim nothing works, yet, they will continue to buy them regardless.
This season though, 24% are considering swapping the tablets and sprays for a purifier as three in 10 reckon it would be less costly to run than it will be to buy medicate. And more importantly, 34% think it will do a better job overall at helping them cope with their allergies.
Of those who have already invested in a purifier, 29% switched over due to frustrations with the effectiveness of existing hay fever medication. Other top reasons for making the switch included positive online reviews, recommendations from family or friends, and concerns over long-term medication use.
A spokesperson for Utilita Energy, which commissioned the research as part of its Power Price List campaign, said: “While many of us look forward to the arrival of spring after a long, cold and gloomy winter, it can bring a sense of dread for those who start sneezing as soon as pollen levels rise.
“Our research has revealed almost one in four hay fever sufferers are being proactive in using an air purifier indoors, with the average cost of running an air purifier 365 days a year £39.”
For nearly three quarters (72%) of air purifier users, they reported improvements in many of their pollen-induced symptoms. Four in ten claimed the cleaner air helped to unblock their noses, 36% sneezed less than usual, and 30% had relief from a constantly running nose.
Over two thirds were unaware that this technology could help reduce their symptoms and 49% admitted they had simply never thought about it.
A spokesperson for Utilita Energy said: “To help households weigh up the value of using an air purifier, we can confirm the average entry level indoor air purifier costs £90 to buy, and £39 a year to run when using it constantly all year round.
“On average, the carbon emissions generated by an air purifier being used every day is the same as driving in a standard car for 148 miles.”
