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Britons falling out of love with traditional cup of tea

Britain’s passion for a good, old cup of tea is cooling due to a growing thirst for coffee, fizzy drinks and a cocktail of herbal, fruit and speciality teas, a survey said.

Sales of standard tea bags dropped by 16 percent and those of loose tea by nine percent over the past two years, according to market analysts Mintel. In contrast, revenue from herbal and fruit teas jumped 30 percent between 2002 and 2004, while so-called “speciality” varieties such as green tea sold 50 percent more over the same period.

The more old fashioned brew — which Britons have traditionally gulped down on a daily basis and turned to in times of strife — is also facing stiff competition from other refreshments such as coffee and fruit juice. “The traditional English cuppa is fighting a real battle, against coffee as a hot beverage and against increasing competition from tea alternatives such as soft drinks, bottled water and fruit juice,” said Ellen Shiels, senior market analyst at Mintel. She said Britain’s centuries-old tea market needed a modern face-lift.

“Traditional tea has maintained a relatively staid image and is now competing with more exotic and healthier herbal tea options,” she said. “There is a need by manufacturers to make traditional tea more of a fashionable beverage,” Shiels added. Highlighting the drink’s weakening popularity, Mintel said the total tea market shrank by around 12 percent in the past five years to 623 million pounds in 2004.

Growth in the speciality tea sector has, however, limited the decline, with young people in particular more partial to caffeine-free hot drinks with more exotic flavours. At the same time, all is not lost for the humble tea bag, as it still comprises 63 percent of the total market compared with the herbal and fruit varieties that account for 27 percent of retail sales.

Mintel also said the drop in the overall market was exacerbated by prices being slashed in discounts and promotions. Almost 80 percent of the British public drinks tea, according to the research company’s survey of 25,000 consumers conducted between 2002 and 2004. This figure rises to around 85 percent of people aged 65 and over, but drops to just 72 percent of 15- to 24-year-olds.

English Breakfast tea remains the nation’s favourite type, although green tea — which is high in antioxidants — is becoming increasingly popular. afp

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