Survey: A Third of Brits Drink Three or More Cups of Tea a Day (2024)

Afternoon tea is a much-loved British institution. Whether it’s at Claridge’s Hotel, from a flask during a walk, or snuggled up on the sofa at home, tea is for one and all.

So, in a bid to better understand the nation’s tea drinking habits during this recent Afternoon Tea Week, which took place Aug. 7-11, Product of the Year asked consumers all the hard-hitting questions in an online poll… and the results did not disappoint.

Product of the Year is the U.K.’s largest consumer survey of product innovation, with more than 10,000 shoppers voting each year to crown winning products across various categories.

According to the Product of the Year survey, the majority of Brits drink three or more cups of tea a day (35 percent), with 20 percent saying they drink an impressive five to 10 cups a day.

When asked how they drink their tea, “with milk” was by far the most popular choice (61 percent). Alternative milks stirred into tea were voted in by 11 percent of respondents. The purists among Brits, black tea drinkers had the lowest numbers with only 5.5 percent not adding anything at all.

Dividing opinion further, Product of the Year then asked a popular question for British tea drinkers: Do you add milk before or after pouring in the tea? To which nearly two thirds (56.3 percent) strongly believe tea before milk is the solution for the perfect cup of tea.

When asked “to dunk or not dunk?”, more than half of respondents are in fact biscuit dunkers (53.8 percent).

“Our survey reveals that tea and the culture surrounding it is just as important today as it has ever been,” said Helga Slater, a spokesperson for Product of the Year. “But what has changed is the way we brew and drink it. Brands tapping into speeding up the brew time, intensifying and diversifying flavors and even simply providing delicious/no-fuss snacks to go with tea are just some of the ways we’ve seen innovation take hold of this category and breathe new life into an ancient ritual. We’re looking forward to welcoming some interesting tea related innovation in the next awards [2024].”

To learn more about Product of the Year, visit ProductoftheYear.co.uk.

Don’t Miss the Weekly World Tea News eNewsletter! Get your free subscription, if you’re not already subscribed, by clicking here.

Plan to Attend or Participate in World Tea Expo, March 18-20, 2024

To learn about other key developments, trends, issues, hot topics and products within the global tea community, plan to attend World Tea Expo, March 18-20, 2024 in Las Vegas, co-located with Bar & Restaurant Expo. Visit WorldTeaExpo.com.

To book your sponsorship or exhibit space at the World Tea Conference + Expo, or to enquire about advertising and sponsorship opportunities at World Tea News, contact:

Ellainy Karaboitis-Christopoulos
Business Development Manager, Questex
Phone: +1-212-895-8493
Email: [emailprotected]

Also, be sure to stay connected with World Tea Expo on social media for details and insights about the event. Follow us on Twitter,Facebook,InstagramandLinkedIn.

Survey: A Third of Brits Drink Three or More Cups of Tea a Day (2024)

FAQs

Survey: A Third of Brits Drink Three or More Cups of Tea a Day? ›

According to the Product of the Year survey, the majority of Brits drink three or more cups of tea a day (35 percent), with 20 percent saying they drink an impressive five to 10 cups a day. When asked how they drink their tea, “with milk

tea, “with milk
The recipes for milk tea mainly consist of a tea base, milk, added sugar, and other added ingredients such as fruits, and creamer. The drink is popular for its rich tea flavor, affordability, pretty aesthetics, sweetness, and diversity that appeals to many people, which is similar to coffee in the drink market.
https://en.wikipedia.org › wiki › Milk_tea
” was by far the most popular choice (61 percent).

What percentage of Brits drink tea? ›

The Statista Global Consumer Survey found that 63% of Britons drink coffee regularly, while only 59% regularly drink tea, according to The Times. Coffee is the most popular drink worldwide, with around two billion cups consumed every day, according to the British Coffee Association.

How many times a day do the British have tea? ›

2-3 cups of tea and coffee are drunk a day

Brits are known worldwide for loving a fine cuppa, and this was proven by our findings, which revealed that on average, Brits are drinking 2.7 cups of tea a day.

Is 3 cups of tea a day too much? ›

Tea is often enjoyable but can positively affect our health and hydration. Tea is an excellent source of antioxidants that can improve our cardiovascular health, reduce stress, and energise us. But tea does more than taste good; a normal amount (i.e. 2-3 cups a day) of tea can help prevent dehydration.

Do British people drink 165 million cups of tea a day? ›

What could be more quintessentially British than a good old cup of tea? For many of us, tea is a staple in our homes. It comforts us, brings us together and quenches our thirst come rain or shine. In fact, each day in the UK we drink 165 million cups of tea, which equals two and a half brews for every person!

How many cups of tea a day do Brits drink? ›

According to the Product of the Year survey, the majority of Brits drink three or more cups of tea a day (35 percent), with 20 percent saying they drink an impressive five to 10 cups a day. When asked how they drink their tea, “with milk” was by far the most popular choice (61 percent).

How many cups of tea do Brits have a day? ›

Q: HOW MANY OF CUPS OF TEA DO THE BRITISH DRINK EACH DAY? A: Approximately 100 million cups daily, which is almost 36 billion per year [Source: ITC]. Q: ARE WE NOW A COFFEE DRINKING NATION? A: No, the number of cups of coffee drunk each day is estimated at 70 million.

Why do Brits prefer tea over coffee? ›

Because the East India Company had a monopoly over the tea industry in Britain, tea became more popular than coffee, chocolate, and alcohol. Tea was seen as inherently British, and its consumption was encouraged by the British government because of the revenue gained from taxing tea.

What country drinks the most tea per day? ›

Turkey, the largest consumer of tea in the world, on per capita basis, consumes an average of 1,300 per person every year. As the demand for organic and sustainable tea products continues to rise, businesses have a significant opportunity to tap into this growing market trend.

Why do Brits like tea so much? ›

That is related to the climate. The climate of England stay fairly cool even during the summer time, and they have very cold winter. Black tea has a effect on keeping one's body warm. A combination of Clotted cream, scones, and black tea are called "Cream tea" and are widely loved by British people.

How much tea is too much for kidneys? ›

The Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics advises consuming no more than 40-50 mg of oxalate per day, the authors note. "If you drink tea once or twice a day, it probably wouldn't exceed what is the normal range for Americans.

Is it OK to drink 4 cups of tea a day? ›

While there are numerous benefits to tea, there is also a limit to how much tea you are supposed to be drinking. The average person should consume a maximum of 4-6 cups a day.

How much Earl GREY tea is too much? ›

Earl Grey Tea Intoxication

In a case reported by the Lancet, a 44 year old man drank 4 liters (nearly 17 cups or 135 ounces) of Earl Grey tea every day. As a result, he developed severe muscle cramps that only subsided when he stopped drinking Earl Grey tea.

Do British people really drink a lot of tea? ›

Do Brits drink more tea or coffee? Tea is still the more popular hot drink in the UK. A quick google shows on average people in the UK drink 70 million cups of coffee per day compared to 165 million cups of tea. With a population of about 60 million that is a lot of tea.

Do Brits drink coffee? ›

Because Brits are more relaxed about their coffee and getting introduced to specialty coffee from cafes, their tastes in coffee are similar to American's. They ordered flat whites, cappuccinos and lattes just like many people in the U.S. do — and they also like the flavored syrups and whipped cream.

What country drinks the most tea? ›

The country that consumes the most tea in the world is China. China has a long history of tea consumption and is the world's largest producer and consumer of tea. In addition to China, other countries like India, Japan, and the United Kingdom also have significant tea consumption.

Do most Brits drink tea? ›

Since the 17th century, the United Kingdom has been one of the world's largest tea consumers, with an average annual per capita supply of 1.9 kilograms (4.2 lb). Originally an upper-class drink in Europe, tea gradually spread through all classes, eventually becoming a common drink.

What percentage of British people drink tea every day? ›

This statistic displays the findings of a survey on the tea consumption frequency in Great Britain in 2019, by age group. During the survey period, it was found that 36 percent of surveyed individuals aged between 25 and 49 years reported drinking tea several times a day.

Do Brits drink more tea or coffee? ›

The truth is that British people drink more coffee than tea these days, and this has been the case for a couple of decades now. Incidentally, it's also true that coffee was the popular drink of choice before tea from China and later India was popularised.

Which country drinks the most tea? ›

Turkey, the largest consumer of tea in the world, on per capita basis, consumes an average of 1,300 per person every year. As the demand for organic and sustainable tea products continues to rise, businesses have a significant opportunity to tap into this growing market trend.

Top Articles
Latest Posts
Article information

Author: Arielle Torp

Last Updated:

Views: 5874

Rating: 4 / 5 (61 voted)

Reviews: 92% of readers found this page helpful

Author information

Name: Arielle Torp

Birthday: 1997-09-20

Address: 87313 Erdman Vista, North Dustinborough, WA 37563

Phone: +97216742823598

Job: Central Technology Officer

Hobby: Taekwondo, Macrame, Foreign language learning, Kite flying, Cooking, Skiing, Computer programming

Introduction: My name is Arielle Torp, I am a comfortable, kind, zealous, lovely, jolly, colorful, adventurous person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.