When it comes to avoiding being outed as a love cheat, honesty is now the best policy on a first date, a poll found.
Researchers found that eight in 10 people admit it if they have a history of cheating with previous partners – hoping to get their new relationship off to a good start.
Women are more likely to spill the beans, with 80 percent coming out clean, compared to 76 percent of men.
Age also plays a big part in whether or not a first date is considered the right setting to bring up the thorny subject of past indiscretions.
Older daters — baby boomers age 55 and older — are the least likely to be honest with only 77 percent admitting their past, compared to 82 percent of Generation Z — those ages 18 to 24.
Younger people seem more likely to want to be honest about their past dating indiscretions
“Our research shows that people want to be honest” about past cheating, says John Mulvey
Meanwhile, millennials — the 25 to 39 age group — also seem to like holding their cards closer to their chest, at 79 percent, compared to Generation X — the 40 to 55 age group — with an 80 percent chance of confessing.
The survey of 2,007 adults in the UK found that a total of 79 percent had admitted to past affairs on their very first date with a new partner.
To make matters worse, two out of 10 daters — 20 percent — even said they caught their new date staring at someone else and flirting with other people on the date.
John Mulvey, head of marketing for iced coffee brand Emmi Caffè Latte, who conducted the research, said: ‘Cheating might seem like the last thing you’d want to confess to a new partner on a first date, but our research shows that’s what most people want . to be honest.
“Young people in particular seem to need to be open about past indiscretions and start their new relationship honestly.
“It’s also clear that new daters seem more direct these days and are willing to broach these tough areas on the first date to get to know their new partner and find out if they’re right for them.”