Vodafone and Three unveil ‘Share Index’: 40% of Brits would share a toothbrush!

Chris Price Smartphones, Telecoms
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  • Vodafone and Three UK unveil ‘The Share Index’, revealing what the UK is most – and least – willing to share, to highlight that their customers can now share each other’s networks automatically. 

  • Almost half (40%) of Brits would share a toothbrush, although 21% would never admit this publicly.

  • Three in ten (31%) couples wouldn’t share a phone charger with their other half. 

A new study into British sharing habits has revealed a distinct divide in the nation’s willingness to go halves on everything from tech to toothbrushes.

Published as ‘The Share Index,’ the research highlights that while people are increasingly protective of personal hygiene items, there is a significant demand for shared digital infrastructure.

The data, based on a survey of 2,000 adults, shows that personal boundaries remain high when it comes to hygiene and technology. More than half of respondents (52%) refuse to share razors, while 46% draw the line at deodorant.

Surprisingly, despite the intimate nature of the item, 40% of Britons admitted they would share a toothbrush, though 21% said they would never admit to doing so in public.

Technology has emerged as a particularly contentious area. Over a third of the population (34%) refuse to share earphones. The study noted a gender divide in this category; while 86% of men are comfortable sharing in-ear headphones, 20% of women strictly avoid it.

Charging cables are another source of domestic friction, with 31% of couples refusing to share a phone charger. One in five respondents admitted they worry their partner would simply not return a charger if it were lent out.

The research was commissioned by Vodafone and Three UK to promote their new network-sharing initiative. Following the formation of VodafoneThree, customers from both providers can now access each other’s networks automatically.

This integration currently includes 1,000 shared sites, with plans to bring a further 8,600 online within the first year.

James Buckley and his wife and podcast co-host, Clair Buckley


The Share Index: What Brits Will (and Won’t) Share

Item Willing to Share Refuse to Share
Chips/Fries 75% 25%
Mobile Network 61% 39%
Sandwiches 53% 47%
Toothbrush 40% 60%
Dessert 64% 36%
Earphones 66% 34%
Razors 48% 52%

To mark the launch, the networks collaborated with actor James Buckley and his wife and podcast co-host, Clair Buckley. The duo, known for their podcast The Buckleys, released a video debating the findings. See video here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=latuV7Zvlrc

James Buckley admitted to being protective of his tech, noting he had bought his wife “about 12 chargers in the last six months” because they often go missing. “I’m not normally very relaxed about sharing,” he said, though he noted that sharing music was a foundational part of their relationship.

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