by Peter Walsh
Looking at tea facts across the whole of the UK and the drinking habits (non-alcoholic) its really easy to make assumptions that tea, including loose leaf tea is no longer the choice of us Brits. Maybe we are turning our affections to the drink of choice from those outlets that seem to be on every corner of our High Streets, in train stations and airports to mention a few. That drink is the popular hot drink from the americas…….Coffee, would that be right? Well despite the availability, the top choice for us Brits remains TEA, our loyalty sees a phenomenal 50, yes 50 BILLION cups per year are drunk ON AVERAGE!! So then, how does that massive number break down to types, styles, age groups, regions and gender?
Consumption information confirm that the age group drinking the highest % of the total are the 35 – 44 year age group, and of those, 17% enjoy a daily minimum of 6 cups!
So then, what is the most popular choice of our cuppa? Well quite surprisingly it is black tea and the age group who find this most popular are right through from the 18 to 55 years plus. A recent survey found that almost a third of the consumers asked said they consume black tea more than any other type. There are of course other options available on the market and in supermarkets. Among the 18 – 24 years age group there are also those who choose to drink herbal or fruit teas. Clearly then, these choices have a place in the market, hence their availability.
When it comes to black tea choices, consumers appear to follow traditional brewing methods and when possible will prefer a black tea, brewed using a loose leaf choice and made in a tea pot rather than in the cup as with a tea bag. Breakfast time is by far the time most consumers seem to need their fix of a strong and flavoursome cuppa. It is often heard ” I can’t start my day without a cuppa”. Love of a morning cuppa is pretty universal across the world. In the UK, demographically, the breakfast cuppa is most popular in Yorkshire where 53% of consumers name it as their favourite black tea. In the south Londoners still prefer a breakfast brew, however, the preference is for an Earl Grey.
Clearly there are lots of choices available for shoppers, that doesn’t mean though that they are necessarily happy or content with the offer though. This raises the question “Are these the only teas available?” the simple answer is no, and the modern consumer is becoming ever more knowledgable and independent of their choice. Quality of tea is uppermost in decision making with many consumers putting this above cost, showing that if there is a certainty amongst tea drinkers in the uk, quality is something they wont give up! This along with a huge percentage (64%) being eco-conscious, many consumers are looking to sustainability and top of their choices are small artisan tea farmers, providing the best quality loose leaf tea on plantations which are sympathetic to local ecosystems. Another interesting one of our tea facts is that the highest proportion of eco conscious and ethically minded consumers are once again found in Yorkshire and the North East.
