Tea is trumping alcohol when it comes to what Brits are choosing to drink…

“Overall, more than a quarter (28%) of those surveyed said they ‘often’ prefer a cuppa to an alcoholic beverage, while four in 10 (42%) said they choose tea over alcohol ‘sometimes’. As a result, seven in 10 (70%) Brits are passing up alcohol in favour of a cuppa at least some of the time,” – Dr Sharon Hall, Chief Executive of the UKTIA

The data gets even more surprising on examining the split between the different age groups.

“Delving into the individual age cohorts reveals some fascinating results,” says Dr Sharon Hall, adding that, “The age group the most likely to choose a cuppa over alcohol were the 30-44-year-olds (81%), with more than half (52%) saying they sometimes chose a cuppa over a glass of wine, beer, or spirits and a third (29%) saying this was often the case for them.”

Interestingly, the least likely group to choose a cup of tea over a glass of wine or a beer were the 45-59-year-olds (64%), with 34% answering ‘sometimes’ and 30% saying ‘often’. In terms of the gender divide, women were more likely than men to pop on the kettle over popping the champagne cork, with nearly a third (32%) of women compared to less than a quarter (23%) of men saying they ‘often’ opted for tea over alcohol. Adding to these figures, half of men (50%) and over a third (35%) of women said they ‘sometimes’ picked tea over alcohol.

The 2024 UKTIA Tea Census Study also reveals insights into how we like to take our tea as a nation and how we are making a brew. Most Brits (76%) like to add milk to their regular cup of black tea, with four in 10 (40%) preferring semi-skimmed, 18% choosing skimmed, 13% opting for full fat, and 5% preferring plant-based alternatives for their brew.

Vivian Summers, ATV Today’s Booze, Tea and Coffee expert:

“It may come as no surprise the findings and poll was conducted on behalf of the UK Tea and Infusions Association (UKTIA) – www.tea.co.uk. So would the findings have been different if commissioned by Green King Pubs for example?”