Introduction
It is no secret that the average British person loves coffee. From the iconic high street chain stores, to the more extravagant coffee shops in major airports, they are widely available and widely loved. But, how much coffee is the Average UK drinker consuming? This article will attempt to provide an insight into just how much an average Brit drinks on a daily, weekly and monthly basis.
The Statistics
It is estimated that the average British person drinks approximately 2-3 cups of coffee per day. This easily amounts to 60-90 cups of coffee per month or 1,460-2,190 cups of coffee in a year. That is a staggering amount of caffeine, and that means that many UK citizens are consuming a lot more than that in one day.
But, it isn’t just regular coffee that is helping to bump these numbers up. According to a survey conducted by Kantar Worldpanel, sales across U.K coffee shops have seen an even stronger growth than sales of coffee in-home. It is estimated that Brits now spend over £8bn a year on coffee when they are out and about. Ultimately, this indicates that UK citizens are becoming more and more health conscious and are wanting to consume more coffee made with ingredients like milk and sugar rather than black coffee.
Age Groups
It would be remiss to not account for the various age groups when considering how much coffee the average person in the UK is consuming. Generally speaking, younger adults aged between 16-30 are consuming more coffee than those in older age groups. This is due to the fact that many adults in this age bracket are regularly using coffee shops to help them to wake up in the morning or to relax during the evening. Furthermore, it is also typical for younger adults to be consuming coffee late into the night or very early in the morning- something that older adults may not be doing as frequently.
Different Forms of Coffee
In addition to regular forms of coffee, rose lattes, turmeric lattes, vegan frappes and bubble teas have also become increasingly popular in the UK. Whilst not many people may be consuming bubble tea twice a day, there is likely to be a large portion of young people in the UK that are frequently purchasing and consuming these items. Therefore, this means that the amount of coffee that an average UK citizen may be drinking on a daily, weekly or monthly basis could be far more than is initially assumed.
The Health Implications
Too much caffeine is definitely not a good thing, therefore it is important to understand and consider the health implications of drinking large quantities of coffee. Some studies suggest that regular consumption of high doses of caffeine can lead to intense headaches, numerous sleep disturbances and even more serious side effects to the body when heavily abused. Therefore, it is recommended that UK citizens limit their consumption to no more than 400mg of caffeine daily to prevent any long-term side effects from arising.
Reformulated Drinks and Decaf Alternatives
In recent years, the UK coffee market has seen an influx of reformulated coffee drinks and decaffeinated alternatives. These drinks have been made in an attempt to provide customers with a more health conscience type of beverage. Since many of these drinks contain around 80 to 90 per cent less caffeine than an original cup of coffee, they are a popular choice for those who want to remain health conscience without sacrificing on taste.
Order Trends
Whilst can be assumed that the UK consumer is likely to be drinking 2-3 cups of coffee per day, it is also likely that the drink order trends have also changed since the start of the pandemic. A quick look at the latest market report from Kantar Worldpanel suggests that hot beverages, cold drinks and snacks have seen a sharp uptick since stay-at-home orders have taken effect, with a 4 per cent increase in sales compared to this time last year.
Biohacking Popularity
Biohacking- the use of science, biology and technology to hack human metabolism- has also had an impact on the UK coffee market in recent years. Coffee and other caffeine related products are now being used to kick-start the metabolism and improve energy levels. Biohacking, it is estimated, is being increasingly adopted by citizens of the UK in order to heighten productivity and create a more health conscious lifestyle.
Final Thoughts
Whilst the amount of coffee that an individual drinks can wildly vary, it is evident that the majority of UK citizens consume at least 2-3 cups of coffee per day. The rise in popularity of coffee shops and reformulated beverages as well as biohacking practices further suggests that the average UK citizen is consuming far beyond the recommended amount of caffeine per day. Ultimately, this calls for UK citizens to become more aware of their own personal coffee consumption to ensure that it remains within the daily recommended amounts.
