Research from mobile network operator Talkmobile - who believe phones should help not hinder everyday life - has delved into how distracting mobile devices have become.
The finding suggests young Brits living in Leeds are routinely ignoring polite staff pleas and pre-movie instructions to switch off their mobile for the benefit of others.
A quarter (25%) of Leeds-based people aged 18 to 27 admitted to double-screening in the movie theatre, compared to an average of one in 10 (11%) UK adults.
Young men are Britain’s biggest culprits of committing a cardinal sin-ema, with one in three (36%) Gen Z blokes revealing they regularly check their mobile for updates despite requests not to.
One in five (19%) Gen Z women are also guilty of engaging in a bit of Pearl & Screen – worse than any other age group.
In contrast, only one in 10 Millennials cinema-swipe (16%) with even fewer Gen X (10%), according to the survey of 2,000 adults from across the UK.
Baby Boomers are the best-behaved when the lights go out in the auditorium, according to the study. Only a handful (4%) refuse to put their phones away for the duration of the film.
Britain’s post-war generation – aged 60 to 78 – are also the least likely to immediately check their phone the moment the movie has finished.
One in 10 (12%) boomers say they’ll check for social media updates and texts as soon as the credits start to roll, compared to two in 10 (19%) Gen X and a quarter (28%) of millennials.
More than a third (38%) of Gen Z will whip their phone out once the film has finished – a habit employed by more men (39%) than women (36%) in the age group.
The trend in cinema rule-breaking is the latest finding in Talkmobile’s deep-dive into device distractions, which has highlighted how glued everyday Brits are with their phones.
According to the study, one in three young men doom-scroll every time they use the loo and Gen Z staff check their mobile at least once every five minutes at work.
And, most surprising of all, researchers found that one in five young men instinctively reach for their mobile immediately after making love.
Talkmobile claims to offer the best SIM only deals and has an industry-leading customer-rated Trustpilot score of 4.7. The mobile network operator is committed to giving UK customers straightforward mobile service with great prices and great coverage.
Sarah Boyle, Head of Operations at Talkmobile said: “At Talkmobile, we believe phones should be used at the time they are needed – and not simply needed to pass the time.
“It’s sad to think that not even a couple of hours in the cinema is sacred to some any more. Those instructions to put your phone away are not just for the benefit of other movie-goers, they are for you too.
“Next time you’re at the cinema, focus on the big screen not the small screen. You might enjoy it more.”