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Food

Britain Is Too Fancy for Standard Tea Nowadays

Thanks to a newfound taste for herbal teas and #cleaneating, UK volume sales of traditional brown tea have declined by 22 percent in the past five years.
Phoebe Hurst
London, GB
Photo via Flickr user Tom Page

Don't deny it, despite the eye-rolling brand of bunting-and-sponge-cake patriotism it inspires and the buzzy lure of a double espresso shot, you quite enjoy a nice cup of tea. Two sugars (OK, three sugars), milk in last, and that chipped Garfield mug you hide when guests come round—is there a more perfect hot beverage trifecta?

Maybe not, but this hasn't stopped tea's long held status as national drink of Britain from coming under threat. A new report from market research agency Mintel states that British volume sales of tea have declined by 22 percent in the past five years and predicts a further drop in sales to 68.7 million kilograms in 2020, compared to the 97 million kilograms sold in 2010.

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READ MORE: You've Been Making Tea the Wrong Way for 30 Years

What happened, Britain? Your Melbourne barista friend made you his special cold press flat white and now you're too good for a builder's brew?

Well, kind of. Mintel's report notes that while sales of ordinary brown tea bags fell by 13 percent between 2012 and 2014, sales of fruit and herbal teas rose by over 30 percent and green tea by 50 percent during the same period. Respondents said that it was the "mood enhancement qualities" of such alternative teas that pushed them to purchase, with 43 percent believing that drinking them could impact mood.

But, as anyone who has ever washed down a morning-after fry up with a grateful slurp of Yorkshire Tea will know, a standard brew can be pretty damn mood enhancing, too.

The declining appeal of traditional tea could also be down to Britain's newfound interest in #cleaneating. Nearly half of green tea drinkers questioned by the report said they did so for health reasons (is there any other reason to down something the same colour as pond water?) Mintel food and drink analyst Emma Clifford also noted that the country's growing "foodie" culture may have caused consumers to choose "more interesting alternatives" to standard tea, which she says is held back by its "rather uninspiring image."

She's probably right. Unless you possess a Mrs Doyle-esque passion for the brown liquid, standard tea isn't incredibly inspiring, especially when pitted against an Instagram-ready cup of matcha.

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Britain's new enthusiasm for healthy options has also impacted the popularity of longtime tea companions, biscuits and cake. While 86 percent of respondents said that tea was a good accompaniment to such baked goods, the report found that volume sales of sweet biscuits fell from 451 million kilograms in 2009 to an estimated 413 million kilograms in 2014, with many saying they cut down on biscuits due to high sugar content.

"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," Clifford added.

READ MORE: A Bad Cup of Tea Is Worse Than a Heart Attack

While Mintel's research paints a pretty bleak picture of Britain's tea-drinking habits, the drink still seems to hold an important place in many people's consciousness. According to the report, the top qualities people associate with a traditional cup of tea are "traditional," "refreshing," and "comforting."

Are your fancy fruit teas traditional? Do you really feel refreshed after a fermented kombucha shake? And what exactly is comforting about the pitying look your barista gives you after taking your order for an almond milk Americano (extra caramel)?

Don't forget your roots, Britain.