Blue Monday: Free fruit to cope with day of debt, bad weather and loneliness
Brits are expected to be feeling the blues today as the "most depressing day of the year" grips the nation.
Researchers have claimed to have proof which indicates the time of year and the weather could really be affecting people's mood.
January 18 has been dubbed Blue Monday, following reports that it is the date on which the population is at its most melancholy.
It has previously been suggested it is the time of year when the weather is worst, debt levels highest and the post-Christmas malaise still omnipresent.
New research by the Co-op found January is when British people are at their loneliest, with 26% claiming it is the month they feel the most isolated.
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On top of this, 87% of the population also feel the weather has a direct influence on their mood, according to a poll from LeoVegas.com.
But it might not just be the gloomy skies bringing the country down, as the data also suggests two-thirds (61%) of people feel depressed on their way to work.
Manchester and Leeds topped its list of the places which suffer worst from the January blues.
Supermarket giant Tesco is hoping to temper the day's dejection by handing out free fruit between 3.30pm and 5.30pm at stores across the country.
On offer to the sullen shoppers will be kiwis, apples, clementines and blueberries.
Tesco's corporate responsibility director Josh Hardie said: "We know today is the day people are most likely to be feeling the January blues, and we hope a free piece of fruit will help our customers feel a little bit happier as they shop with us."