It goes without saying that hot drinks are a staple product in our economy. Whether a humble cup of tea or invigorating coffee, a warm drink is a daily staple for the British consumer. As demand grows across the nation for hot beverages, so does the opportunity for different varieties and providers to make their home in the market.
Tea is still the hot drink for the vast majority of consumers, drinking 165 million cups across the UK daily. However, black tea sales have been steadily dropping compared to previous years. Coffee has been slowly growing in popularity, fully integrating the coffee culture that has swept over from the US and rest of Europe. Premiumisation has given UK customers a taste for higher quality coffee, whether it’s from coffee shops or grounds they can brew at home. The large variety of coffee drinks available has given the drink a massive rise in the market, consumer consumption being up to 70 million cups a day across the UK.
New trends have begun to emerge in the market. Green tea has found a rise to the mainstream given the rising health craze in the UK’s food and drink markets in recent years. Tempting UK black tea drinkers from the traditional brands such as English Breakfast, healthier and more exotic variants of green tea and fruit/herbal tea have found favour. This is especially among the millennial demographic, being more inclined to sample more diverse varieties of these selections.
Another trend in the market would be towards the increased demand for effective and environmentally friendly packaging when it comes to the hot drinks products consumers purchase. 87% of Britains’ out-of-home coffee drinkers try to dispose of their packaging waste in recycling bins. Including ranges that are eco-friendly and insulated for maximum customer comfort during consumption, Alliance provides selections of hot drink packaging products that cater to all of your customer’s consumer needs and trends.
With many players in the hot drinks market, it can be difficult to make your brand stand out. One tip to maximise sales of your hot beverages would be to utilise the opportunity for brand awareness that comes with using own-branded packaging for out-of-home food/drink products. Once a hot drink product is ordered to go and taken away, it is out in public view for other potential consumers to see. Emphasised with eye-catching packaging and an attractive product, having your company name printed across your packaging will massively increase brand awareness, being one of the best sales-boosting tools in your arsenal.
