Barging in, Britain’s queue-jump millennials

RUDE millennials are trampling on tradition by refusing to queue properly – with young Britons six times more likely to barge in than older generations.

But the same group, those aged between 18 and 34, are also more likely to respond aggressively when someone jumps the queue ahead of them.

Researchers found that Britain’s reputation for good manners is well founded, with most shoppers prepared to wait patiently in an orderly queue.

But they also discovered that 40 per cent of 18- to 34-year-olds – the millennial generation – admitted to pushing in when they thought queuers were not looking and sometimes even when they were aware.

That compared with just 26 per cent of those aged 35 to 44, 13 per cent of those aged 44 to 54 and six per cent of those aged over 55.

But when they are the victims of queue-jumping, nearly half of millennials – 47 per cent – said they would challenge the offender. That compared to just 35 per cent of those aged over 55. Women react less aggressively to queue-jumpers, with just 23 per cent saying they would say something compared to 46 per cent of men.

Across all age groups, Londoners are worst for pushing in, with 39 per cent admitting to jumping the queue. Birmingham came second, with 29 per cent, followed by Newcastle with 26 per cent and Manchester with 23 per cent.

Those in Edinburgh are the least likely to queue-jump, with just 15 per cent of shoppers admitting to barging in, according to the survey of 2,000 British adults by golf driving range firm Topgolf.

Spokesman Michael Hay said: ‘Queuing is as much of a staple of British society as fish and chips, so it is quite a scandal when someone does barge in. It’s surprising to see that while millennials are more likely to push in, they are also the ones who would take umbrage when they are on the receiving end.’