Scots are renowned for their overuse of apologies, with the word ‘sorry’ firmly established as a staple of Scottish phraseology, according to new research.
A survey of 1,004 adults carried out by leading online florist SerenataFlowers.com, has revealed that the average Scot now says ‘sorry’ as many as eight times per day, with the most apologetic Scots residing in Edinburgh, followed by Dundee and then Aberdeen. Glasgow has been revealed as the least apologetic city with residents only apologising 3 times each day on average.
When quizzed on the things Scots say ‘sorry’ for most, 55% said they apologise for being late, 49% said they apologise after accidentally bumping into someone and 42% said sorry for missing a call.
The habit of apologising is so ingrained into Scottish culture that almost one in three people (31%) claim to have previously apologised to an inanimate object, after mistakenly bumping into it.
The survey asked respondents what things they felt couldn’t be forgiven simply by saying ‘sorry’ and found that stealing (89%) topped the list.
Cheating on a partner (87%) and forgetting a birthday (66%) were also considered among the worst mistakes. Completing the top five were standing someone up on a date (40%) and telling lies (35%).
Due to the overuse of everyday apologies in the UK, a huge 72% of Scots feel the word ‘sorry’ carries little value, and as such we need to work harder to communicate a sincere apology when it’s due.
71% of those surveyed said receiving a bouquet of flowers with an apology would help it feel more genuine.
65% said a hand-written card would add more weight to the apology and a further one in two (51%) said that gifting chocolates was a great way of conveying sincerity.
Lucia Polla, marketing manager at SerenataFlowers.com, said: ‘Considering how often Brits use the word “sorry”, it’s amazing how many people struggle to communicate a genuine apology where it counts.
‘Putting your hands up and admitting fault is one of the hardest things anyone has to do because from a young age we’re conditioned to want to get things right and behave well. But everyone makes mistakes from time to time and owning up and expressing a heartfelt apology can not only put the mind at rest, it can actually strengthen relationships too.
‘Gifting flowers is a great way of going the extra mile to show someone you care and want to right a wrong. Apology flowers are so popular that we actually have a section of the website dedicated to them, and it’s no surprise that a dozen red roses are the bestseller.’
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