13 Aug 2015 Britons desert black tea for more exotic brews

Between 2010 and 2015 the overall volume of tea sold in the UK slumped by 22 per cent, from 97 million kilograms to 76 million. The fall is “almost completely attributable to diminishing sales of ordinary teabag”, the study by global market research agency Mintel concluded.

Sales of standard black teabags dived by 13 per cent between 2012 and 2014, but over the same period alternative teas enjoyed strong growth. Green teabag sales rose by 50 per cent, fruit and herbal teabags by 31 per cent and speciality blends such as Earl Grey, Darjeeling and Assam by 15 per cent.

Retail analysts said the switch from ordinary tea to fruit or herbal alternatives may be partially explained by growing health awareness among the public, as the latter are not typically taken with milk and sugar. The rise of “foodie” culture may also be a factor, with regular black tea seen as unexciting compared to other blends.

Emma Clifford, senior food and drink analyst at Mintel, said the decline may also be tied to dwindling cake and biscuit sales. “It is widely accepted that tea is a good accompaniment to biscuits and cakes. Given the sugar scare, however, and that usage of such treats is in decline, these strong associations could have had a negative impact on the tea market,” she said.

Acknowledging that the “fairly mundane” image of tea was a challenge to the market, the Mintel analysts suggested that manufacturers should consider introducing “extreme flavours” to make the beverage appeal to younger consumers who regarded it as dull.

“Spicy flavours such as wasabi or Szechuan pepper or extreme sour flavours – as seen in the sugar confectionery market – should grab the attention of the most experimental ‘foodie’ consumers,” it said.

However, the study also confirmed that tea is still a staple drink for millions of Britons. More than half of the population (54 per cent) drink at least one cup of ordinary tea a day, with men aged between 16 and 44 the biggest consumers. Almost three quarters typically drink it in the morning, while two thirds drink it in the afternoon.

Bill Gorman, chairman of the tea industry body the UK Tea and Infusions Association, said that the UK was “still a nation of tea drinkers” and that Ireland was the only country in the world which consumed more per head.

“The tea industry has been very slow to innovate, the coffee boys have been way ahead of us,” he said. “But now we’re producing a range of products – speciality teas, herbal fruit infusions – which is appealing to consumers. There is a shift away from the classic black blended tea onto speciality teas.”…..

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