1 of 2
2 of 2
UK Tea & Infusions Association (UKTIA) published the first ever Tea Census Report to provide the answers to common tea questions coming from real world research data on one of the world’s largest tea drinking countries.
The UK imports around 100,000 metric tons of tea every year and consumes more than 100 million cups of tea every day. According to UKTIA's Tea Census Report the UK’s favorite brew is the humble cuppa - black tea - derived from the Camellia sinensis plant - and almost 1 in 4 people (22%) adds milk or sugar before adding the teabag and hot water.
According to the report 75% of Brits drink black tea, with or without milk, but only 1 in 100 people drink a classic builder's brew of strong, dark, sugary tea. Interestingly, 7% of those add cream to their tea, only marginally fewer than the 10% who add a plant-based milk.
"If there's something the Brits do well, it's popping on the kettle and brewing a good cup of tea,” said Dr. Sharon Hall, UKTA head. “It’s a tradition that dates to the 16th century when Charles II married the Portuguese princess and tea lover Catherine of Braganza.
"Most people think that black tea comes from China [39%] or India [37%] but most of the tea [consumed] in the UK actually comes from Kenya, although it is often blended with other teas such as Assam tea from India, Ceylon teas from Sri Lanka, and black teas from Rwanda and other east African nations,” said Hall. "True tea from the Camellia sinensis plant is grown in more than 60 countries and can be processed in a variety of ways to make black, green, and oolong teas to name but a few, all from the same plant. As a result, there are hundreds of different types of tea to try."
And the range of choice doesn't stop there. Around 300 different plants and over 400 plant parts including leaves roots, bark, seeds, flowers, or fruits are used in herbal and fruit infusions. Peppermint and chamomile are the most popular infusions with 24% and 21% respectively of respondents drinking them at least twice a week.
"Tea was a big part of life on our Everest expedition," said adventurer and tea lover, Andrew Hughes, who is credited with holding the highest tea party in history: on Mount Everest Camp 2, Nepal, on May 5, 2021, at a height of 6,496 meters. "From the tea houses and lodges where we stayed along the trek, to the countless hours spent with one another with a warm cup of tea in hand awaiting weather windows to climb onwards — tea is something that we shared so regularly that it is impossible to detach it from the overall Everest experience." Andrew with a team of 15 climbers ascended Mt Everest and took a selection of teas including black and green teas, as well as peppermint and chamomile to help aid digestion and sleep.
Although tea can be a real thirst quencher as well as a means of socializing, the UK’s love of tea runs far deeper as many respondents turn to tea when they're emotional and cold. "Tea is a hug in a mug, a loyal friend, and a calming aid…there's just so much going on when we take time to make a brew,” said Hall.
Real world research detailed in the report reveals that almost half of [48%] see a tea-break as an important time-out and a similar number [47%] say it helps to recharge their batteries. Two out of five [44%] have a biscuit with our brew, with 29% of tea drinkers dipping into the cookie jar for seconds.
"A third of Brits [32%] see their tea break as a time to connect with other people, but 38% catch up on social media, 16% enjoy doing a puzzle on their tea-break and 5% use the time to just sit and think,” said Hall.
"Most of those surveyed were familiar with blends such as Earl Grey and English Breakfast, but Darjeeling and Assam black teas from India were less well known, as were Gyokuro green tea from Japan, Long Jing [also known as Dragon Well] green tea from China, or Oolong tea, which is sometimes described as the ultimate tea if you think you don't like tea," Hall said. "Oolongs, traditionally from China's Fujian province and Taiwan, are semi-oxidized teas ranging from light, fragrant greenish oolongs to dark brown leaf oolongs which yield liquors with deeper, earthier flavors as well as hints of peach and apricot."
According to the report the brew chosen depends on mood, with more than half of those polled (56%) confirming feelings are a factor in the choice of tea or infusion. The all-purpose pick is black tea, which is drank when feeling hungry, lonely, nostalgic, bored, sad, angry, motivated, or happy.
"Around a third [29%] of Brits turn to chamomile when they want to de-stress, and a fruit infusion is a popular choice when we're feeling dreamy [16%],” said Hall. "If we were told we couldn't have tea for a day, 2 out of 5 respondents said they would be upset, angry, or saddened and a quarter [26%] would miss it terribly."
Nearly half of those surveyed (46%) and detailed in the Tea Census Report said a cup of tea gets them going in the morning and 1 in 5 (18%) say a brew helps them face a difficult conversation or email.