COFFEE TO COPE: Welsh choose coffee over tea across the pandemic
The Welsh love nothing more than a hot drink, but new research has revealed the prevalence of coffee being used to cope with the pandemic across the country instead of tea – with Cardiff taking the fourth spot.
During lockdowns implemented because of the Covid pandemic, the Welsh turned to coffee to cope – with sales booming around key lockdown dates.
Coffee reigned supreme over tea, even though many think tea is quintessentially British and part of our national identity, coffee was purchased five times more according to figures from the British Sandwich and Food to Go Association (http://www.lovesarnies.com) in association with Kantar Group.
Over the last twelve months 360 million cups of takeaway coffee were purchased – that’s 11 per second across the nation. Whereas only 65 million were tea to go.
The experts found from their research that those living in Belfast love coffee the most in the last 12 months crowing it the capital – with 61 per cent of people choosing coffee over tea – that equates to 6 in ten people.
It’s followed closely by Glasgow with 57 per cent, then 56 per cent of people in Brighton chose a cup of joe in the last 12 months.
Cardiff took the third spot with 56 per cent, Bristol and London are at 54 per cent and Nottingham comes in at 53 per cent.
Coffee was still the drink of choice in Newcastle with 52 per cent of people slurping away, and finally people in the Leeds and Manchester came in at 51 per cent.
Furthermore, takeaway coffee and tea sales overall across the nation are still on the rise – up by 10% YOY.
One finding that the experts at British Sandwich and Food to Go Association said stood out the most is us Brits are known for our tea drinking, whereas coffee is now more popular.
Jim Winship, Director of The British Sandwich & Food to Go Association and the brains behind the new ‘Your Breakfast is Waiting’ campaign launched in September, which urges Brits to start the day with a great breakfast, said: “It’s not surprising that us Brits turned to coffee in lockdown. There is much comfort in a hot cup of coffee alongside it’s abilities to wake us up, sharpen the mind and even boost metabolism. The pandemic has shifted our purchasing power away from tea and has now seen coffee become the hot drink of choice. But regardless of your own preference, in our opinion either is a ‘brew-tiful’ way to start the day.”
Are there any health benefits to a cup of coffee?
What is it about coffee that means many of us can’t start the day without them? And, more importantly, are there any health benefits to kicking off breakfast with a hot cup of joe?
Some people drink coffee because they kickstart their metabolism, and there are studies that have found that caffeine can help the body to burn fat more efficiently and boost metabolism.
Other studies say that drinking coffee or tea regularly could reduce cognitive decline by as much as 37 percent as you get older and other benefits have been highlighted too, including a reduced risk of diabetes and some cancers.
“For many people, a hot drink such as a coffee is their key to starting the day,” says Jenna Hope, an expert nutritionist. “There are certainly benefits to this. Hot drinks are a great way to support hydration.”
