Spilling the tea: New poll reveals coffee over tea as UK’s hot drink of choice
We’re a nation famed for our love of the classic cup of tea, however the eyebrow-raising results of a new poll* by Macmillan Cancer Support to mark the return of Coffee Morning suggest that the country is divided when it comes to crafting our perfect cuppa.
We’re a nation famed for our love of the classic cup of tea, however the eyebrow-raising results of a new poll* by Macmillan Cancer Support to mark the return of Coffee Morning suggest that the country is divided when it comes to crafting our perfect cuppa.
The UK’s leading cancer charity has also enlisted the help of Gennaro Pelliccia, Costa Coffee’s Master of Coffee, to help settle the debate once and for all.
The UK’s leading cancer charity has also enlisted the help of Gennaro Pelliccia, Costa Coffee’s Master of Coffee, to help settle the debate once and for all.
- Espresso yourself: The beloved cup of coffee overtakes tea as our number one hot drink, with almost two-thirds of UK adults (63%) drinking coffee on a regular basis, compared to just 56% opting for standard black tea
- A quick dip: One in ten tea drinkers (10%) across the UK (representing more than 2.8 million people) say their perfect cup of tea is brewed for less than 30 seconds
- …vs. a long stew — Tens of thousands let their coffee stew for a whopping 10 minutes or more (1% of all coffee drinkers)**
- Milk up your mind: Almost one in five (17% of tea drinkers and 18% of coffee drinkers) opt for adding milk to their cuppa FIRST in order to make the perfect brew.
The figures from Macmillan’s latest polling may not be to everyone’s taste, however the analysis shows that despite our traditional love of the classic cuppa, coffee takes the number one spot as the nation’s go-to hot drink in all but two parts of the UK. Remarkably, coffee winds up in top position even in regions such as Yorkshire and the Humber (66% vs 53%), in what may be a bitter pill to swallow for those so well-known for their love and heritage of tea.
Going for a pint takes on a new meaning it seems, as the research unearthed a new trend. Several respondents across the UK confessed to enjoying tea by the ‘pintful’, stating that their cuppa comes best served in a pint-sized mug, while one tea-lover stated that the perfect time of day for a cuppa was “every moment of every single day”.
Similarly, the numbers also show that the nations’ devot-teas and coffee fanatics are split when it comes to perfecting the ultimate cuppa. One in ten tea-drinkers take a somewhat ‘splash-dash’ approach, confessing to brewing their tea for less than thirty seconds, while one in five (19%) take three minutes or more. Meanwhile, tens of thousands let their coffee stew for a whopping 10 minutes or more (1% of all coffee drinkers)*** — a beverage crime that some may even consider (coffee) grounds for dismissal.
Milk first? Milk last? The seemingly perfect formula for when to add the milk to your cup of tea or coffee is highly disputed, garnering as much debate as the humble scone’s infamous ‘jam first’ versus ‘cream first’ dispute. Surprisingly, almost one fifth of tea (17%) and coffee (18%) drinkers stand by the fact that milk should be added first, whereas a huge 73% of tea drinkers state that milk should be put in last.
When it comes to creating the perfect cuppa, tea drinkers believe that the brand of tea used (chosen by 51% of tea drinkers) + the length of time you brew your tea (agreed by 44% of tea drinkers) + the temperature of the water (listed as important by 38% of those surveyed) = the recipe for success when it comes to acing your tea-making.
Meanwhile, coffee drinkers consider the type of coffee used, for example instant, ground or capsules (52%) most important when it comes to making the perfect cup of coffee, followed by the brand of coffee (46%) and the temperature of the water (27%).
Putting an end to the debate once and for all, Gennaro Pelliccia, Costa Coffee’s Master of Coffee, spills the beans on the recipe for success when it comes to making great-tasting coffee. Gennaro says:
“Costa Coffee has perfected the art of making great coffee for more than fifty years, with our founders Sergio and Bruno Costa taking 112 attempts to create our Mocha Italia Signature Blend that is still served today. The secret to a great cup of coffee lies within three key elements — temperature, using high quality milk and choosing the right type of coffee for the occasion.”
“When you use a hotter water temperature, different flavours are released such as increased bitterness whereas slightly cooler water can enhance sweeter notes. If you are making a Cappuccino or Latte, make sure you use fresh milk that has been correctly stored inside the fridge at the optimum temperature between 0°C and 4°C. This will also help in giving the creamiest froth. Always aim to ensure frothing occurs at the correct temperature (55°C is ideal) to avoid spoiling and breaking the milk down. When selecting the right type of coffee, espresso makes the perfect cappuccino whilst the combination of the roast and the right milk temperature will result in the perfect cortado.”
Claire Rowney, Executive Director of Fundraising, Marketing and Innovation at Macmillan Cancer Support, says:
“Whether you’re a tea or coffee drinker, add your milk first or last, or like to accompany your brew with something savoury or sweet, everyone can get involved with a Macmillan Coffee Morning — no matter your personal taste.
“Whether it’s with your friends in the park, on a driveway, or a gathering at work, every Coffee Morning has the power to raise vital pennies and pounds so that Macmillan can continue helping the 3 million people living with cancer across the UK to live life as fully as they can. There’s no better reason to get together for Macmillan and settle the debate at your local Coffee Morning!”
September marks the return of Macmillan Cancer Support’s annual Coffee Morning fundraiser, which officially takes place on Friday 30th September this year, with local events taking place up and down the UK to help raise vital funds for people living with cancer.
For the first time ever, Costa Coffee is joining M&S Food as Headline Partner of Coffee Morning 2022, and Betty Crocker is back as Official Sponsor to help make this year’s fundraising the best yet.
Whatever your reason to support a Coffee Morning, it’s a great one. Everyone can get involved by finding their closest Coffee Morning event here, or donating to Macmillan here.
Going for a pint takes on a new meaning it seems, as the research unearthed a new trend. Several respondents across the UK confessed to enjoying tea by the ‘pintful’, stating that their cuppa comes best served in a pint-sized mug, while one tea-lover stated that the perfect time of day for a cuppa was “every moment of every single day”.
Similarly, the numbers also show that the nations’ devot-teas and coffee fanatics are split when it comes to perfecting the ultimate cuppa. One in ten tea-drinkers take a somewhat ‘splash-dash’ approach, confessing to brewing their tea for less than thirty seconds, while one in five (19%) take three minutes or more. Meanwhile, tens of thousands let their coffee stew for a whopping 10 minutes or more (1% of all coffee drinkers)*** — a beverage crime that some may even consider (coffee) grounds for dismissal.
Milk first? Milk last? The seemingly perfect formula for when to add the milk to your cup of tea or coffee is highly disputed, garnering as much debate as the humble scone’s infamous ‘jam first’ versus ‘cream first’ dispute. Surprisingly, almost one fifth of tea (17%) and coffee (18%) drinkers stand by the fact that milk should be added first, whereas a huge 73% of tea drinkers state that milk should be put in last.
When it comes to creating the perfect cuppa, tea drinkers believe that the brand of tea used (chosen by 51% of tea drinkers) + the length of time you brew your tea (agreed by 44% of tea drinkers) + the temperature of the water (listed as important by 38% of those surveyed) = the recipe for success when it comes to acing your tea-making.
Meanwhile, coffee drinkers consider the type of coffee used, for example instant, ground or capsules (52%) most important when it comes to making the perfect cup of coffee, followed by the brand of coffee (46%) and the temperature of the water (27%).
Putting an end to the debate once and for all, Gennaro Pelliccia, Costa Coffee’s Master of Coffee, spills the beans on the recipe for success when it comes to making great-tasting coffee. Gennaro says:
“Costa Coffee has perfected the art of making great coffee for more than fifty years, with our founders Sergio and Bruno Costa taking 112 attempts to create our Mocha Italia Signature Blend that is still served today. The secret to a great cup of coffee lies within three key elements — temperature, using high quality milk and choosing the right type of coffee for the occasion.”
“When you use a hotter water temperature, different flavours are released such as increased bitterness whereas slightly cooler water can enhance sweeter notes. If you are making a Cappuccino or Latte, make sure you use fresh milk that has been correctly stored inside the fridge at the optimum temperature between 0°C and 4°C. This will also help in giving the creamiest froth. Always aim to ensure frothing occurs at the correct temperature (55°C is ideal) to avoid spoiling and breaking the milk down. When selecting the right type of coffee, espresso makes the perfect cappuccino whilst the combination of the roast and the right milk temperature will result in the perfect cortado.”
Claire Rowney, Executive Director of Fundraising, Marketing and Innovation at Macmillan Cancer Support, says:
“Whether you’re a tea or coffee drinker, add your milk first or last, or like to accompany your brew with something savoury or sweet, everyone can get involved with a Macmillan Coffee Morning — no matter your personal taste.
“Whether it’s with your friends in the park, on a driveway, or a gathering at work, every Coffee Morning has the power to raise vital pennies and pounds so that Macmillan can continue helping the 3 million people living with cancer across the UK to live life as fully as they can. There’s no better reason to get together for Macmillan and settle the debate at your local Coffee Morning!”
September marks the return of Macmillan Cancer Support’s annual Coffee Morning fundraiser, which officially takes place on Friday 30th September this year, with local events taking place up and down the UK to help raise vital funds for people living with cancer.
For the first time ever, Costa Coffee is joining M&S Food as Headline Partner of Coffee Morning 2022, and Betty Crocker is back as Official Sponsor to help make this year’s fundraising the best yet.
Whatever your reason to support a Coffee Morning, it’s a great one. Everyone can get involved by finding their closest Coffee Morning event here, or donating to Macmillan here.
References
*Macmillan Cancer Support/YouGov survey of 2,199 UK adults. Fieldwork was undertaken between 30th — 31st August 2022. The survey was carried out online. The figures have been weighted and are representative of all UK adults (aged 18+). Question wording was as follows: Which, if any, of the following hot drinks do you consume on a regular basis? (Please select all that apply). Answer options were: Coffee; Standard/black tea (with or without milk); Herbal tea; None of the above; Not applicable — I don’t consume hot drinks
** As per ref i. Extrapolations for applicable numbers of tea and coffee drinkers based on applying survey results to total estimated UK adult population of at least 51,400,000 people, sourced from: Office for National Statistics. Estimates of the population for the UK, England and Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland. Accessed September 2022
***As per ref i. Extrapolations for applicable numbers of tea and coffee drinkers based on applying survey results to total estimated UK adult population of at least 51,400,000 people, sourced from: Office for National Statistics. Estimates of the population for the UK, England and Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland. Accessed September 2022
** As per ref i. Extrapolations for applicable numbers of tea and coffee drinkers based on applying survey results to total estimated UK adult population of at least 51,400,000 people, sourced from: Office for National Statistics. Estimates of the population for the UK, England and Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland. Accessed September 2022
***As per ref i. Extrapolations for applicable numbers of tea and coffee drinkers based on applying survey results to total estimated UK adult population of at least 51,400,000 people, sourced from: Office for National Statistics. Estimates of the population for the UK, England and Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland. Accessed September 2022
About Macmillan Cancer Support
At Macmillan, we give people with cancer everything we’ve got. If you’re diagnosed, your worries are our worries. We will move mountains to help you live life as fully as you can. And we don’t stop there. We’re going all out to find ever better ways to help people with cancer, helping to bring forward the day when everyone gets life-transforming support from day one.
About Costa Coffee
Founded in London by Italian brothers Sergio and Bruno Costa in 1971, Costa Coffee is present in 41 countries around the world, with over 2,700 coffee shops in the UK&I and 1,100+ globally. We are proud to be the Nation’s Favourite coffee shop, having been awarded “Best Branded Coffee Shop Chain in the UK and Ireland” by Allegra Strategies for 12 consecutive years (2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021).
Making a positive contribution to the communities we are part of is extremely important to us, both here in the UK and across the world, that’s why we established The Costa Foundation, a registered charity with the aim of improving the life chances of children in coffee growing communities by helping them access a safe, quality education. So far, The Costa Foundation has funded over 100 school projects and changed the lives of more than 100,000 children. We also have a UK-wide Community Programme, which enables our teams to volunteer their time to good causes locally and to invite community groups to make use of our welcoming space in stores.
Making a positive contribution to the communities we are part of is extremely important to us, both here in the UK and across the world, that’s why we established The Costa Foundation, a registered charity with the aim of improving the life chances of children in coffee growing communities by helping them access a safe, quality education. So far, The Costa Foundation has funded over 100 school projects and changed the lives of more than 100,000 children. We also have a UK-wide Community Programme, which enables our teams to volunteer their time to good causes locally and to invite community groups to make use of our welcoming space in stores.