How Is Coffee Contributing to the UK Economy?

Coffee has become an indispensable drink, both for the UK population and the UK economy.

Traditionally, the UK is known for its love for tea. But if we call in the numbers of coffee consumed, the coffee culture has clearly taken over the UK. Considering a £17.7 billion contribution to the economy, we can confirm that the impact of the UK coffee market is growing steadily.

Not many would start their day without a little energy boost in their daily cup, whether it’s from a coffee shop or a coffee vending machine. In 2018, the UK consumed 95 million cups, of which 65% were drunk at home, 35% at work or while studying, and only 10% was consumed in shops, bars, and restaurants. As drinking coffee at work has a lot of benefits, like increasing focus and productivity, it is gaining importance amongst companies. A lot of offices see the benefits in investing in good office coffee machines.

It’s not a surprise that the UK coffee market is the fifth largest coffee consumer market in Europe. The growing coffee consumption has a positive impact on the turnover, but it also has a beneficial influence on employment. In 2017 coffee created more than 210,325 jobs, which represents a 10% increase of people working in coffee-related jobs between 2016 and 2017.

What is a better occasion to celebrate the UK’s expanding coffee industry than International Coffee Day? On October 1st, the world gathers together to cherish their love for almost everyone’s favourite hot (or cold) beverage. At the same time the world acknowledges all the hard-working farmers who make it possible for us to enjoy a lovely cup of coffee every morning.

In the infographic below, Market Inspector highlights the impact of the UK coffee market:

About the author: Sirin Çaki is a Communication Assistant at Market Inspector and is specialised in the topics of coffee, tea, and coffee machines. Her educational background started in Belgium with a degree in Office Management. She continued with an International Marketing program in France and ended her educational career back in Belgium with a master’s degree in Business Communication.

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