Café Culture is Brewing in Britain…

In recent years there has been an evident rise in the number of cafés; whether they be independent or large chain stores. Claims have been made that cafés are set to surpass local pubs by the year 2026…

Added: 20th July 2015

The great recent recession saw an expected decrease in the sale of beer, however, a surprising rise in the sale of coffee was recorded. From the years 2009 to 2013, 4,500 pubs shut down, yet more than 5,000 coffee shops opened in that time, showing how the average Briton’s interest in coffee has been piqued.

The Friends Effect

An impressive increase in consumption of coffee has been demonstrated; In 2009, 1 in 9 people visited a coffee shop daily; whereas now 1 in 5 people get their daily fix there! The coffee shop is now an ever more popular choice for interviews, studying, dates and general social affairs. The very recognisable television show, ‘Friends’, may have contributed to this spike in coffee shop popularity as the local shop, Central Perk, features heavily and is an essential part of the characters social life.

The younger generation are now consuming coffee, other than instant brew, more than ever. Having grown up surrounded by large coffee chains and offered wider menu options, young adults are more likely to choose alternative options; this includes, the most popular, cappuccinos, lattes and then Americanos. Using the establishments for studying, meeting friends or a pleasant alternative scenery, the younger generation has certainly pushed the popularity of the coffee shop.

A Tea Parting?

Another British traditional drink is suffering at the hands of coffee – The classic cup of tea. Sales in tea have seen a decline of 6% in sales as coffee sales show evident increases (6.3%). High street stores show that the sale of tea in 2013 brought in £480m while coffee brought in more than double that amount with £1bn. The standard black tea market is also declining due to sales of herbal, green and infusion tea becoming more popular for health savvy tea drinkers.

The café culture is appearing to be inevitable – embrace it! The consumption of coffee or tea over beers and pub standards promotes healthier lifestyles and has real health benefits. If coffee shops aren’t for you, a brew is easily and quickly achieved with a quality home coffee machine. So ditch the beer and wine and make the switch to coffee; times are changing, you should be too!

Check out our selection of coffee and teas, as well as our wonderful bean to cup coffee machines.