More Google searches for brollies and blister plasters during Tube strike

 
7 February 2014

Demand for blister plasters, second-hand bikes, umbrellas and grocery deliveries soared as Londoners battled through town during this week’s Tube strikes, according to figures from Google.

Fed-up commuters looking for alternatives to public transport triggered a 20 per cent jump in searches for second-hand bikes on Google during the 48 hours of the RMT union’s walkout.

Searches for Google Maps traffic and cycle directions leapt by 350 per cent in the same period.

As many commuters chose to walk in, the internet giant told the Evening Standard that searches for “foot plasters” and Compeed blister treatment rose 12 per cent during the two days of the strike.

The wet weather drove a 32 per cent jump in searches for umbrellas, and a similar spike in searches for waterproofing options for bags.

With some choosing to work from home, the number of Londoners hunting for “home wi-fi” options jumped 23 per cent and searches for “conferencing services” were up 27 per cent.

Some Londoners appeared to be keen to avoid leaving the house at all — Google searches for grocery deliveries rose 45 per cent during the two days.

“People turned to their phones to find the nearest pharmacies for umbrellas and blister remedies as they navigated their way across town on foot,” said Laurian Clemence, from Google UK.

“We’ve seen a surge of searches around a number of surprising items and services over the past 48 hours, including a spike for waterproof bag covers and foot plasters, while there are around 8,000 searches a month for food deliveries online, and this has increased by 45 per cent.”

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