Gen Z are turning to the taste of this quintessential British favourite

Gen Z are ditching elaborate barista-style coffee and opting for a simple cuppa instead, new research has found. Last year saw coffee overtake tea as the UK’s preferred drink, with 63% of consumers saying they opted for beans over brew.

But a poll of workers aged under 28 has revealed over half (52%) would prefer tea to a latte, flat white or cappuccino. And while 13% said coffee was too expensive, the most popular reason was “tea just tastes better” (22%). It comes as tea has enjoyed a recent surge of popularity amongst 18-24s, thanks in part to a renewed presence on social media.

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Last month a prank joking to Americans about the existence of a fake daily ‘tea alarm’ telling Brits when to put the kettle on, sparked more than 600,000 posts and 18 million posts on .

Younger generations are also embracing the drink for health reasons with 55% saying tea helps them feel “calm and centred.”

And a quarter (25%) said they chose not to drink coffee because it was bad for them, and made them feel “jittery and anxious”.

The survey was part of Amazon’s Chatterbox series, which shines a light on the personalities of its employees and acts as a barometer of UK opinions.

The survey, which was released alongside a debating the topic, also pointed to a rise in the popularity of herbal teas - with 16% of Gen Z naming them as their preference.

James Webster, 23, who works at Amazon’s Fulfilment Centre in Coalville said: "I’ve never really been a coffee drinker. Tea’s always felt like a proper home comfort - no matter what kind of day you’re having, a good cuppa just makes everything better. I imagine coffee would just leave me feeling wired.

"Plus, it’s just so much cheaper and easier to get a round of teas in than an elaborate coffee round with 13 triple shot oat milk macchiato extremes with a shot of vanilla, or whatever people are drinking these days.”

With a workforce of around 75,000 across the UK, Amazon is perfectly placed to explore the topics that matter most.

Oxford Mathematician and Countdown star Dr Tom Crawford said: “The data obtained in the Amazon survey is a fascinating insight into the make-up of modern-day Britain.”