One in two young adults struggle to tell the time on a traditional clock face
One in two young adults sometimes struggle to tell the time on a watch with a traditional clock face with hands, otherwise known as an analogue clock.
More than one in five people in this age group say they regularly struggle to tell the time this way.
This is according to a YouGov poll of more than 2,000 people.
Some of the millennial generation (23 to 38 year olds) also admitted to struggling, with one in five admitting they struggled to tell the time without a digital display.
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This is compared to just four per cent of people aged 55 and above who say they struggle to tell the time on a watch with hands.
The research was commissioned by the Marloe Watch Company, a British wristwatch designer.
Oliver Goffe, the company’s co-founder, said: “Generation Zers are our future prime ministers, teachers and doctors. The fact they might not be able to tell the time if they can't find a phone charger could be an issue.”
Whether or not you share this view, it’s certainly the case that our time telling habits are changing, with many people opting to keep track on their smartphone rather than wearing a watch.
According to research conducted in 2017 by the NPD group, a market intelligence company, just 32% of US consumers wear a watch on a daily basis.
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While there is no equivalent recent study for the UK population, in a 2010 survey conducted by Mintel of 1,500 British consumers, some 14% said they had no need for a watch – with this figure doubling among the 15-24 year old age group.
Smartwatches – which typically allow users to choose between an analogue or a digital clock – have also surged in popularity in recent years, with 45 million smartwatch sales reported in 2018, according to Wired.
