Research suggests that Brits are drinking more coffee at home because of Covid (source: Coffee Direct)
Nearly a third – 28% -- of British people now drink more coffee in an effort to deal with the stress of the Covid-19 pandemic, according to recently published research from Coffee Direct, a company that has been selling coffee online since 2007.
Research carried out by Coffee Direct found that Brits consume a whopping 78 million extra cups of coffee a day since the pandemic began, largely as a result of the increased number of people working from home. Only around 1 in 10 people (13%) said they drink less since March 2020.
According to Coffee Direct, 1 in 5 Brits claim their caffeine consumption “escalated” and that they drink more coffee every day. More than 1 in 5 (22%) are now consume 2 or more cups a day than they were pre-pandemic; 1 in 10 drink 3 more a day; and 4% consume 4-7 more cups a day.
The most common reasons stated for drinking more coffee at home included taking more breaks (62%); helping with stress (28%); and increasing motivation (27%). The research also shows that, on average, people drink around fewer takeaway coffees per week.
“The way in which our lives have been transformed by Covid-19 has heavily impacted our daily routines, which has seemingly resulted in an increasing number of cups of coffee being consumed,” said Lewis Spencer, founder, Coffee Direct.
“This trend is supported by a 96% uplift in online coffee orders since late March last year, across our entire range of freshly roasted coffee beans, including filter, espresso, percolator and cafetiere lines. We’ve also seen an increase in orders for whole bean coffee, which suggests that there has been an increase in the number of people keen to grind their own beans and make their coffee from scratch – perhaps because they have more time to do so, now they’re working from home.”
Psychologist and wellbeing consultant Lee Chambers said, “When we are working at home, we are surrounded by more environmental cues to “brew up” – our domestic environments are designed to live, relax and express ourselves in. As we have more authority over our working patterns, incorporating making a coffee into our schedule, gives us those moments of disconnection that are vital to our wellbeing. With the coffee shop experience limited by lockdown, it can also feel like a treat to make a coffee. What is clear is that making of coffee is gaining significance as an activity that provides consumers with a range of benefits.”