43 per cent of UK tablet owners are addicted to their device, according to a wide-ranging survey into tablet usage. 

The survey, carried out by media communications agency UM London, assessed the impact of tablets on the people who have bought them, and found that 60 per cent of tablet owners use them daily - with 27 per cent admitting to taking them into the loo with them. 

65 per cent said that tablets are more useful than laptops. However, the report indicates that tablet owners are early adopters, and the authors say that manufacturers face a challenge to push tablets into the mainstream. 

Of those that don't own a tablet, 64 per cent have no intention to buy one, with 38 per cent saying they don't understand the benefit of having one, while 23 per cent say they are deterred by price.

UM London's Loraine Cordery says: "For those who already own them, tablet computers and e-readers are clearly having a major impact on their lifestyles, but technology brands face a major challenge persuading those who don't own one of the benefits of the devices."

In terms of usage, the survey found games to be the most popular kind of apps with 50 per cent of owners downloading them. 41 per cent think of their device as a 'toy' (although this figure is just 17 per cent for e-reader owners). 55 per cent of tablet owners told the study they spend more time online as a result of owning one. 

UM found most users are spending small amounts on applications on a monthly basis. 54 per cent of those who have downloaded an app in the past spend at least £2.50 per month on them.

The research was conducted in August using UM's Curiosity Panel. This consisted of an online questionnaire which was answered by 5,000 nationally representative adults, says UM London.