BIT·Nov 22, 20225 traps to avoid on Black FridayIt’s Black Friday time again. This year UK spending is expected to hit £7.5bn with customers spending over £200 each on average according to PwC. This trumps the typical spend during Boxing Day of around £186 each. …Black Friday7 min readBlack Friday7 min read
BIT·Nov 1, 2022Five ways to cut your energy bill that actually workThe energy crisis has prompted an explosion of interest in how to save energy and reduce bills. While many suggestions are familiar and easy to understand, there are plenty of highly effective behavioural actions that are less well known but no less effective. …Energy5 min readEnergy5 min read
BIT·Jul 28, 2022High prices, high pay? How to attract and retain staff when inflation is highWith UK inflation rising to 9.4%, a 40-year high, many workers are eager for pay rises. ONS figures show wages increasing between February and April, but when inflation is accounted for, regular pay actually fell compared to 12 months ago. Meanwhile, the unemployment rate remains incredibly low, at just 3.8%…Economics4 min readEconomics4 min read
BIT·Jul 22, 2022Reframing sustainability through a behavioral lensMany organizations want to be more assertive in championing sustainability, but they have very understandable concerns. Sustainability is a broad and complex issue encompassing everything from global warming to manufacturing processes. So it’s easy to feel unqualified to speak or too overwhelmed to know where to start. …Sustainability4 min readSustainability4 min read
BIT·Jul 6, 2022Three ways gambling sites can harm their customersThe gambling industry has long embraced behavioural science. Think of the ways casinos are designed to attract customers and keep them betting. You enter and immediately see eye-catching slot machines. There are flashing lights and the sound of games being won, you can feel the energy. There are no clocks…Psychology6 min readPsychology6 min read
BIT·Jun 9, 2022Give me back my time — the curse of ‘Time Taxes’Staggering rises in energy bills, the highest level of inflation in decades — there’s no shortage of numbers that drive home the stark reality of the current cost of living crisis. But there’s one that is conspicuous by its absence, and it’s for one of the most valuable things we…Economics4 min readEconomics4 min read
BIT·Mar 11, 2022How much are we willing to pay to make home heating greener?When it comes to reducing emissions from the way people heat their homes (home heating is currently responsible for around 14% of UK emissions), the UK government (alongside many other countries) is betting a lot on heat pumps. They run on electricity, which should be 100% renewable by 2035. They…Sustainability6 min readSustainability6 min read
BIT·Mar 8, 2022Women only apply when 100% qualified? Putting received wisdom to the testThis International Women’s Day, let’s celebrate taking an evidence-based approach to understanding gender inequality in the labour market. Apparently, “men apply for a job when they meet only 60% of the qualifications, but women apply only if they meet 100%”. Several media outlets have circulated this claim, including reputable sources…Equality5 min readEquality5 min read
BIT·Feb 2, 2022Five behavioural challenges and opportunities for 2022In 2021, we saw the reach and impact of behavioural science continue to extend. From the UN hosting its first behavioural science week and declaring behavioural science as a “critical tool to progress on its mandate” to the publication of the final edition of Thaler and Sunstein’s classic book Nudge. …Psychology7 min readPsychology7 min read
BIT·May 5, 2021How can we encourage institutional investors to make climate friendly decisions?To meet net zero emissions all sectors of the global economy will need to embark on unparalleled transformation. The financial industry is a key player in this transition — with the potential to accelerate us towards that goal or impede the journey, depending on investment and divestment strategies. However, fossil…Investing4 min readInvesting4 min read