The United Kingdom stands out as a nation where tea is a staple, with a significant portion of the population across all income brackets consuming a cuppa daily.
In May, the UK Tea & Infusions Association (UKTIA) revealed that 98% of UK residents drink tea daily. Britain’s reputation as a nation of tea drinkers is clearly standing the test of time, says UKTIA Chief Executive Dr. Sharon Hall. “More than 100 million cups of tea are drunk every day here in the UK,” she said, citing the International Tea Committee (ITC), which estimates consumption at 36 billion cups per year.
Hall explains that nearly two-thirds of the 1010 adults surveyed in March start their day with tea. “It’s no surprise that 84% pick the option of a tea bag to make their black tea, with 16% opting for loose leaf,” said Hall.
The 2024 Tea Census results, released for International Tea Day, show that the age cohort most likely to prefer loose-leaf black tea was the 30-44-year-olds (27%), compared with 16% of 18-29-year-olds, 12% of 45-59-year-olds, and only one in 10 (10%) of those aged 60+.
“Among those who prefer green tea and herbal infusions, it may be a surprise that the age group most likely to drink loose-leaf varieties mainly were the younger (18-29-year-old) adults,” she said. "For both herbal infusions and green tea, more than a quarter (28%) of this age group said they predominantly chose loose leaf over tea bags." This compares to only 5% of the older adults.
Hall said young tea drinkers appreciate “the fantastic benefits for avoiding cardiovascular disease, improving muscle strength, and the anti-stress properties of polyphenols.” The association has already done a huge amount to study the health benefits of tea. Targeting youth may be the most important thing for the industry, says Hall, one of the global leaders in the Hashtag #teapower campaign to encourage greater consumption.
“While it's considered far more acceptable to take milk in black tea, nearly a quarter (24%) said they drink their black tea as it comes, without any milk,” she said. According to the UKTIA press release, “Of those that did add milk, the most popular choice by far was semi-skimmed (40%), with 18% choosing skimmed, 13% opting for the full-fat variety, and just 5% preferring plant-based milk in their brew, despite the trend for plant-based diets.”
According to Statista market research, the UK market is valued at £1.7 billion ($2.2 billion). The global market is expanding and will be worth an estimated $134.4 billion by 2025. According to the UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), tea production is nearing 6.7 million tons.
Statista Market Insights estimates UK consumption at 72 million kilos annually, excluding herbal infusions, ready-to-drink, and instant tea.
The UK is also a significant processor and exporter. Several of the 122 enterprises located there have been in operation for centuries. In 2023, the UK ranked 7th by value in tea exports, shipping $121.4 million worth of mainly black tea. Green tea exporter Japan ranked 6th that year with $210.1 million in exports. The top three exporters, China, Kenya, and Sri Lanka, each reported more than $1 billion in trade value.
According to Statista, UK residents spend an average of 15 pence per person per week on tea. Tea expenditure fluctuates, but the desire for hot beverages is constant; a century ago, there were fewer alternative beverages, yet even today, 40% of the nation’s fluid intake will be tea, according to the Tea Advisory Panel (TAP).