Britain. Can its essence be captured within a bottle?

The essence of Britain

Top notes of fried bacon, roast dinners and petrol? A whiff of freshly mown grass and hints of baked bread? Are these the ingredients we should be combining to uncover the smell of Great Britain? A recent survey looking at the nation’s noses found baked bread the most popular, with one in five (20%) selecting that homely aroma as their favourite. Clean sheets (10%) and freshly mown grass (8%) were second and third respectively in the survey, which also discovered that – unsurprisingly – vomit, body odour and public toilets were the three smells we dislike the most.

New research has uncovered what smells have emotional ties to our lives in Britain. Freshly brewed coffee, heavenly or hellish? Musky perfume: love or loathe? People enjoy classic fragrances and scents that they know and love, with more than 80% of those admitting that a scent could make them happier. Certain scents can take Brits back to their childhood (35%), remind them of a happy time/place (53%) and comfort them (48%). Brit’s say the smell of an open fire reminds them most of autumn or winter, while freshly cut grass is most reflective of spring or summer.

Scents like lavender and other more traditional fragrances have long been household favourites, but more recently scents with a modern oriental twist have proved popular. In this video, members of the British public cited everything from leather, old library books and chocolate as some of their favourite smells.

Stats over the country!

In Cambridgeshire, nearly 400,000 people say that a scent can make them happy, while over 150,000 adults say that certain smells take them back to their childhood.

In London, over five million people say that a scent can make them happy, while two million adults say that certain smells take them back to their childhood.

In Berkshire, 100,000 people say that a scent can make them happy, while over 40,000 adults say that certain smells take them back to their childhood.

In Birmingham, nearly 700,000 people say that a scent can make them happy, while around 270,000 adults say that certain smells take them back to their childhood.

In Cheshire, nearly half a million people say that a scent can make them happy, while nearly 200,000 adults say that certain smells take them back to their childhood.

Across Hampshire and Dorset, over 800,000 people say that a scent can make them happy, while 350,000 adults say that certain smells take them back to their childhood.

In Cornwall, 350,000 people say that a scent can make them happy, while over 140,000 adults say that certain smells take them back to their childhood.

In Derbyshire, over 500,000 people say that a scent can make them happy, while 200,000 adults say that certain smells take them back to their childhood.

In Devon, 500,000 people say that a scent can make them happy, while 200,000 adults say that certain smells take them back to their childhood.

In Dorset, over 270,000 people say that a scent can make them happy, while 100,000 adults say that certain smells take them back to their childhood.

In Essex, over 900,000 people say that a scent can make them happy, while 370,000 adults say that certain smells take them back to their childhood.

In Exeter, nearly 80,000 people say that a scent can make them happy, while 30,000 adults say that certain smells take them back to their childhood.

In Hampshire, over 800,000 people say that a scent can make them happy, while over 300,000 adults say that certain smells take them back to their childhood.

In Herefordshire, over 100,000 people say that a scent can make them happy, while nearly 50,000 adults say that certain smells take them back to their childhood.

In Kent, over 900,000 people say that a scent can make them happy, while over 375,000 adults say that certain smells take them back to their childhood.

In Lancashire, over 800,000 people say that a scent can make them happy, while over 300,000 adults say that certain smells take them back to their childhood.

In Leicestershire, over 400,000 people say that a scent can make them happy, while over 150,000 adults say that certain smells take them back to their childhood.

In Norfolk, over 550,000 people say that a scent can make them happy, while nearly 230,000 adults say that certain smells take them back to their childhood.

In the North East, over 1.7 million people say that a scent can make them happy, while over 700,000 adults say that certain smells take them back to their childhood.

In Nottinghamshire, over 530,000 people say that a scent can make them happy, while over 200,000 adults say that certain smells take them back to their childhood.

In Shropshire, around 200,000 people say that a scent can make them happy, while over 80,000 adults say that certain smells take them back to their childhood.

In Staffordshire, over 550,000 people say that a scent can make them happy, while nearly 230,000 adults say that certain smells take them back to their childhood.

In Suffolk, nearly 480,000 people say that a scent can make them happy, while over 185,000 adults say that certain smells take them back to their childhood.

In Surrey, over 750,000 people say that a scent can make them happy, while around 300,000 adults say that certain smells take them back to their childhood.

In Sussex, nearly 890,000 people say that a scent can make them happy, while over 350,000 adults say that certain smells take them back to their childhood.

In Warwickshire, around 360,000 people say that a scent can make them happy, while nearly 145,000 adults say that certain smells take them back to their childhood.

In Wiltshire, over 300,000 people say that a scent can make them happy, while over 120,000 adults say that certain smells take them back to their childhood.

In Worcestershire, over 350,000 people say that a scent can make them happy, while around 150,000 adults say that certain smells take them back to their childhood.

In Yorkshire and the Humber, over 3.5 million people say that a scent can make them happy, while around 1.4 million adults say that certain smells take them back to their childhood.

In Somerset, over 350,000 people say that a scent can make them happy, while nearly 145,000 adults say that certain smells take them back to their childhood.

In Hertfordshire, over 730,000 people say that a scent can make them happy, while nearly 300,000 adults say that certain smells take them back to their childhood.

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