It can be very stressful buying something personal or intimate at the shops, having to pray you don’t bump into anyone you know as the embarrassing item burns a hole in the bottom of your basket.
And for nearly half of Britons, the thing we find most awkward to pay for in public is condoms.
The contraceptive has topped a list of the most mortifying purchases, picked by 45 per cent of those polled, beating lubricant (28 per cent), thrush cream (20 per cent) and vibrators (15 per cent) to the bizarre gong.
Other problematic products to make the cut included tampons (14 per cent), pregnancy tests (12 per cent) and erectile dysfunction treatments (10 per cent).
For non-sex-related purchases, 19 per cent claimed nothing could be more cringey than buying haemorrhoid cream.
The survey of 2,000 Britons, carried out by takeaway service Just Eat, revealed 44 per cent confessed to leaving a pharmacy empty-handed out of embarrassment.
As a result, 38 per cent prefer buying products online, while a fifth would rather deal with their ailment than face a shop assistant.
Some shy shoppers have even disguised themselves at the check-out with sunglasses (39 per cent), baseball caps (30 per cent) and a fake beard or wig (12 per cent).
Women admit to feeling more on edge and blush more than men (67 per cent compared to 48 per cent), while 18 to 29-year-olds are most likely to go red-faced (67 per cent).
Claire Pointon, UK & Ireland managing director at Just Eat, said: ‘The research shows us that Brits can often feel uncomfortable or embarrassed buying certain healthcare items.’