Is there anything worse than a slow walker? We've all been there: desperate to get our shopping done and dusted, only to be stuck behind someone who walks so leisurely, they might as well be standing still.
Well, have no fear bargain hunters, because a mall revolutionized shopping as we know it last year.
In November 2017, Lakeside Centre, a large out-of-town shopping centre in Essex, England introduced a fast lane for those of us who don't have all day to wait around while the two people in front of us have a slow-paced, intimate chat.
The 220-metre lane gives fast walkers the chance to pick up whatever they need quickly and get the hell out of there.
The management team claimed the lane claim designed for shoppers "who know where they want to go quickly and don’t want to get caught up behind leisurely shoppers on this busiest time of the retail year."
The fast lane's introduction came after a MasterCard survey found that slow walkers were the biggest annoyance of 80 per cent of shoppers - especially when it comes to Christmastime.
According to the study, the average walking speed is 2.85 miles per hour, but this drops by more than 20 per cent when people take to the stores to do their Christmas shopping.
In the UK, people in the South East were said to be the fastest walkers with an average shopping speed of 2.92 mph, whereas Scottish shoppers were the slowest at 2.77mph.
In addition, the research divided people in four different types of shoppers: Dodgers, Skaters, Tutters, and Bull-dozers.
So, what exactly do these terms mean? First of all, there are the 'dodgers', the shoppers who consistently change paths and directions, going between sluggish walkers who get in their way. Unsurprisingly, 51 per cent of the population allegedly fall into this category.
Next up, are 'skaters', who make up 31 per cent of people on the high street. These people have the rare skill of being able to "elegantly manoeuvre" their way through a crowd, politely avoiding conflict with others. Teach us your ways, skaters!
Thirdly are the 'tutters'. If you're a tutter - as 15 per cent of people out there are - you are massively passive aggressive and are recognised for mumbling, grumbling, and complaining loudly about the people who surround you. Guilty as charged.
Last of all come the 'bull-dozers': the 11 per cent of us who actively shove their way through big crowds, foregoing most niceties. Hey, sometimes you gotta do what you gotta do.
Mastercard News' Head of Masterpass, Elliott Goldenberg said: "Our spending data shows a real change in buying behaviour as people continue to blend both online shopping and visiting stores for gifts. What technology gives them is speed and convenience, but they really want to see that experience reflected on the high street. Intu Lakeside is a great example of how retailers are adapting to these needs, and catering to a much broader range of shopper preferences."
So what kind of shopper are you?
