Just over 1 in 7 (15%) tea drinkers claim to have increased the number of tea consumption occasions they have had over the past year, marginally ahead of the 1 in 9 (11%) who have decreased their tea consumption during the same period. Recent research on behalf of Retail Intelligence by Empathy Research, amongst a nationally representative sample of 1,010 adults aged 18+, sought to understand consumption behaviour in the tea category and what factors are affecting this change.
The increase in tea consumption recorded is driven by those aged 18-24, with 25% of tea drinkers in this cohort increasing their consumption year-on-year. Interestingly, the increase in tea consumption hasn’t necessarily resulted in other types of drinks being consumed less. Indeed, almost 3 in 4 (73%) tea drinkers claim not to have replaced any other types of drinks with tea and they are merely drinking more tea nowadays. Of those who have replaced other drinks with tea, the most likely replacement is coffee, with 14% of tea drinkers substituting tea for coffee in the past year.
There are two key aspects driving the increase in the number of tea consumption occasions year-on-year, with just over half (52%) of all those who have increased their tea consumption doing so over the past year as part of their overall routine, with the same proportion (52%) claiming tea helps them relax. Further to these two aspects, there are 1 in 5 (21%) who have increased their tea consumption because they deem it to be healthier than other types of hot drinks.
The opportunity to engage tea drinkers with new types of tea and different flavours is substantial. There are 6 in 10 (60%) tea drinkers who are open to trialling new types of tea, with 40% of tea drinkers less open to persuasion, claiming they always drink the same tea brand as part of their family tradition.
For further information and more in-depth analysis on consumer behaviour within the tea category, please contact Robbie Clarke at Empathy Research.
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