Hot drinks down under: Australia’s coffee culture booms, but tea could do with a lift

The number of coffee and tea drinkers shoots up sharply among Baby Boomers, who were born before 1960, with almost 70% choosing coffee and around 10% fewer opting for tea at least once a week.

A different picture is emerging, however, among younger Australians. Less than a third of Generation Zers, who were born 1991-2005, drink either hot tea or hot coffee.

They are more likely, though, to drink hot chocolate than older Aussies, although the drink is in a clear third place for all age groups. Nearly a fifth of Generation Zers drink hot chocolate, compared to only 7.3% of Pre-Boomers.

A pen-portrait of a typical hot tea drinker presents a woman in an older-age demographic most likely to be a Baby Boomer, in an older household from which the kids have moved out. She’s likely to be a part of the upper AB socio-economic quintile and have a diploma or degree, though she only works part-time or is already retired.

In contrast to their older peers, iced tea drinkers are predominantly young, with more than half under 35 years of age, and 40% in Generation Z.

The quintessential iced tea drinker is just making her way in life and likely to be attending university and working part-time. She is more likely than the average Australian to take part in a range of sports and be concerned about her sugar intake.

“In the age old battle between tea and coffee for the hearts, and throats, of Australian consumers, coffee is maintaining, and even growing its lead​,” said Michele Levine, chief executive of Roy Morgan, which carried out the research.

Indeed, over the last four years coffee has grown its weekly market by over 1 million, whereas tea is now consumed by just over 300,000 more than four years ago.

“Over 15.2m Australians drink hot drinks including tea, coffee or hot chocolate in an average week and coffee, which is now drunk by 11.5 million, pips tea on 9.8 million as the most widely consumed hot drink​.”