Britain has enough leftover cheese and post-dinner mints to sustain every man, woman and child until February 16.
The nation spent its last remaining cash to fund a festive blow-out. Britons will now turn to a diet rich in fat and sugar and consisting entirely of cheese ends and wafer thin mints to survive the post-Christmas months.
“It started on Boxing Day evening,” said Eric Smith, a 47-year-old local man.
“I went through the last of my Toffifees and polished off the end of the Christmas turkey, then turned to the cheese and After Eights.”
Like millions in the UK, Eric will now consume increasingly furry cheese and the Nestle mint treats while counting the cost of Christmas.
And experts predict it will not be until February at the earliest that retailers see the green shoots of recovery through the piles of black After Eight packets littering the streets.
David Carter, 33 held off until December 28 before starting his cheese and mint diet.
The local car salesman said: “I had ten After Eights and a cup of coffee this morning and feel champion.
“If I never see another roasted turkey or my mother-in-law again I’ll be a happy man.”
Minister for Health Andrew Lansley believes the new diet could have a detrimental effect on the nation’s well-being.
But he conceded: “It could have been worse.
“We estimate there are 364 million uneaten sprouts in the country. God help us if people start munching their way through those fart bombs.”
