Britons’ long love affair with tea appears to be on the wane as they switch to other drinks, according to research on Wednesday.
“The traditional English cuppa is fighting a real battle,” said Ellen Shiels of consumer information group Mintel.
Britain’s total tea market fell by 12 percent to 623 million pounds in 2004 from 707 million pounds in 1999.
Traditional tea types, like the exotically named Lapsang Souchong, Darjeeling and Earl Grey, are being challenged by coffee and soft drinks, not to mention herbal and fruit teas.
“Although young tea drinkers are drinking a wider variety of teas, they are drinking less of it,” said Shiels in a statement.
Over the last two years, sales of standard tea bags fell by 16 percent.
The British addiction to the beverage dates back to the 18th century when the ritual of “taking tea” established itself as part of aristocratic life.
Highly expensive at first -- early tea-caddies came fitted with locks to stop the servants pinching the precious leaves --tea’s popularity boomed as prices fell.
Almost 80 percent of Britons now drink tea, a figure which rises to 85 percent for the those aged over 65.
Mintel said the worry for tea makers was that only 72 percent of those aged between 15 and 24 were partial to the brew.
Just 38 percent of the younger group drink tea twice a day or more compared with 70 percent for the over 65s.
“There is a need by manufacturers to make traditional tea more of a fashionable beverage,” said Shiels.
