Caffeine consumption soars
Brits consuming an extra 78 million cups of coffee a day since the start of the pandemic.
New research reveals that more than half of Brits admit to drinking more coffee whilst working from home since the start of the pandemic. Only one in 10 (13%) say they are drinking less since March last year.
According to the new findings from Coffee Direct, one in five consumers claim their caffeine consumption has escalated and they are drinking one more coffee each day.
• More than one in five (22%) are consuming two or more
• One in 10, three more a day
• 4% are consuming 4-7 more cups per day
Lockdown love affair with tea set to stay
An independent survey of more than 2,000 adults across the UK has found that younger adults rediscovered their love of tea during lockdown.
Reasearch commissioned by the UKTIA (the UK Tea and Infusions Association) discovered four in 10 of 18-34-year-olds are more likely to brew a warming mug of tea than before lockdown. And more than nine in 10 say their tea drinking habits are here to stay or will even increase in the future.
Overall, 86% of adults are now tea drinkers – a rise of nine percentage points since a major government survey on the subject in 2000. This equates to an extra 1 million tea drinkers. Around half (53%) are drinking tea daily, rising to more than 60% in the over 55s.
Commenting on the survey, Dr Sharon Hall from the UKTIA said: “Everyone knows that wonderful ‘ah’ feeling of sitting down with a mug of tea, especially when you’ve had a busy or stressful day.
“This is probably why more than half of those responding to the survey cited the ‘feel good’ factor as a reason for upping their tea intake. This was followed by hydration and the opportunity to socialise with family and friends, even if these days that means sharing a cuppa during a virtual chat.”
She continued: “Interestingly, younger consumers in their 20s and 30s are being more adventurous with their tea choices. Around four in 10 tried new teas during lockdown – including herbal infusions for immunity, teas with added vitamins and different flavours of teas.”
Tapping into perfect water
UK Tea Academy’s first white paper has released its first white paper – advising on water for tea. Water, which makes up to 99% or more of a cup of tea, is an often-overlooked ingredient that has a huge impact on the taste, aroma and appearance of every cup - and up until now it has not been considered in the same way as water for coffee.
The report highlights the key ingredients of water which impact the brewing process of tea and also provides a standard water specification to create the optimal cup of tea.
A team from The UK Tea Academy worked closely with BRITA to find the perfect water for tea.
Chlorine content, water’s ‘buffer capacity’ and carbonate hardness all affect the water, and the team concluded that using filtered water was the best option.
To read the full report, visit https://www.ukteaacademy.co.uk/
Diary date
Make the most of Afternoon Tea Week (August 9-15) this summer by flagging up your offering on social media and in your customer marketing.
Who doesn’t love celebrating this great British tradition, which offers the perfect excuse to catch up with loved ones over a cup of tea and some delicacies.
