Latte tops coffee favourites

New research suggests, as many as 56 percent of modern Brits prefer coffee to a traditional British cuppa – with the nation’s favourite coffee, emerging as a milky Latte (46 percent).

The Latte, literally meaning “milk” in Italian, is a shot of espresso into which hot, steamed milk is added – followed by a light layer of foam. It was likely to have been derived from the Cappuccino, which began to be made after the invention of the espresso machine in late 19th century Italy.  The Cappuccino is equal parts milk, foam and espresso whereas the latte is larger and contains more milk.

It began to be popularised in 1950s Italy – but really took off when it became more standardised in Seattle during the 1980s and then spread throughout the western world during the 1990s.

In second place, of those polled, was the Cappuccino (39 percent), followed by the Flat White (26 percent) and then, the classic Espresso (19 percent), according to the research by Italian home appliances brand, De’Longhi.

Be careful what you ask for though, as six in ten Brits admit that they have judged someone on their coffee order. Gen Z Brits tend to be keener on coffee than older generations with the research revealing they spend £64.50 a month on the black stuff, more than twice that of the £28 spent by over 60s.

A massive 87 percent of youngsters describe themselves as a “coffee connoisseur” compared to just 66 percent of over 60s. And over four in ten of the younger generation (42 percent) say they’d ditch a partner if they couldn’t make a decent cup of coffee.

Overall, as many as 84 percent of Brits are confident in their barista skills, claiming they make the perfect cup at home. Regionally, the coffee capital of the UK is Newcastle where people drink 17 cups of coffee a week, compared to the least caffeinated city in the UK, Coventry, where residents only drink 11.

Research of 2,000 Brits was commissioned by De’Longhi and conducted by Perspectus Global in September 2024.

THE NATION’S COFFEE ORDER…

1. Latte     46%
2. Cappuccino    39%
3. Flat White    26%
4. Espresso    19%
5. Iced coffee    19%
6. Mocha     18%
7. White Americano   17%
8. Flavoured coffees, e.g. caramel latte 15%
9. Black Americano   13%
10. Oat milk latte    10%
11. Macchiato    9%
12. Black filter coffee   8%
13. Cold brew    5%
14. Cortado    3%

 De’Longhi Marketing Director Helen Cutmore said, “It’s evident from this research that consumer tastes really differ.”