Is Britain still a tea-drinking nation?

Tea has long been considered Britain's national drink. But as younger generations embrace alternative beverages and new formats, is the UK still a nation of tea lovers? Using data from YouGov Profiles, we explore how tea and coffee consumption varies across age groups, what types of drinks are preferred, and how daily tea drinkers evaluate leading brands. These insights offer valuable direction for marketers, retailers, and beverage brands looking to adapt their offerings to shifting consumer preferences.

Home consumption dominates, but retail remains key channel

Among British adults, 41% drink tea and 40% drink coffee at home or at work at least twice a day. When including those who drink tea once a day or several times a week, the majority of Britons still reach for a cup regularly.

Out-of-home consumption is far lower. Just 16% of tea drinkers and 12% of coffee drinkers buy their drinks at a takeaway, café, or similar venue at least once a week. Despite popular perceptions of a growing café culture, this suggests retail and grocery remain the core consumption channels for both tea and coffee, presenting sustained B2B opportunities for supermarkets, convenience retailers, and FMCG brands.

Younger adults drink less frequently – but differently

Age plays a defining role in shaping daily beverage habits. Just 11% of Gen Z drink tea daily, compared to 8% who drink coffee every day. Among Millennials, 23% drink tea daily and 24% drink coffee. Gen Xers show a similar balance, with 31% consuming tea and 33% coffee daily. Baby Boomers are nearly split as well, with 32% drinking tea and 32% drinking coffee each day. These figures suggest that while daily consumption is relatively steady among older generations, younger adults are showing lower engagement with both tea and coffee. This generational shift becomes even more apparent when looking at the types of drinks younger Britons prefer.

Opportunities in premium and flavoured teas among Gen Z and Millennials

Among those who drink tea daily, traditional English breakfast (e.g., black tea blend) remains dominant across all age groups, especially Millennials (77%) and Gen Z (74%). But younger generations are far more likely to experiment with non-traditional varieties.

For example, 32% of Gen Z daily tea drinkers opt for green tea (vs. 20% nationally), 27% drink fruit tea (vs. 13%), and 28% enjoy herbal tea (vs. 16%). Matcha, though still a niche option overall (4%), finds greater traction among Gen Z (7%) and Millennials (9%). Iced tea is another youthful favourite, consumed by 22% of Gen Z compared to just 2% of Baby Boomers.

Infused teas also appeal more to younger consumers, with 24% of Gen Z choosing them compared to 5% of Boomers. These trends suggest a broadening definition of what constitutes a "tea drinker," especially among younger demographics, and highlight a growth market for flavoured, functional, and premium-positioned SKUs.

Coffee preferences sharpen by age and format

Instant coffee remains the most commonly consumed type among daily coffee drinkers (55%), but it's least popular among Gen Z (40%) and most popular with Baby Boomers (59%). Gen Z and Millennials instead favour more contemporary options: 54% of Gen Z drink caffè lattes and 40% enjoy iced lattes, versus only 30% and 7% of Boomers, respectively.

Flavoured coffees, mochas, frappuccinos, and cold brews are also disproportionately consumed by Gen Z. For example, 29% of Gen Z daily coffee drinkers enjoy mochas, compared to just 5% of Boomers. Similarly, 13% of Gen Z opt for cold brew, while it's nearly absent among older adults. These preferences indicate potential for innovation in RTD coffee, specialty blends, and seasonal flavours targeting younger buyers.

Brand loyalty remains strong among frequent tea drinkers

Brand perceptions among daily tea drinkers reflect strong loyalty to Yorkshire Tea, which scores highest in both Quality (53.5) and Value (27.2) rankings. These scores are notably higher than the national averages (47.3 for Quality, 25 for Value), suggesting that frequent tea consumers distinguish sharply among brands.

Twinings is the next most highly rated for Quality (41.3 among daily drinkers), but scores lower on Value (7). PG Tips, Tetley, and Typhoo see more moderate ratings across both metrics. Brands looking to grow share may benefit from aligning product messaging with the generational profile of their audience.

A diversified market, not a declining one

While younger generations are less likely to drink tea daily, they are reshaping the category through their interest in diverse flavours and modern formats. Coffee, too, is evolving, with iced, flavoured, and artisanal varieties finding strong appeal among Gen Z and Millennials. Yet with over half the population still drinking tea multiple times a day and brands like Yorkshire Tea commanding high trust among loyalists, Britain’s tea tradition is not disappearing – it’s diversifying.