Monday, January 15th 2024 marks Brew Monday, a Samaritans campaign urging everyone to connect over a cuppa and a chat. Strengthening bonds with loved ones is crucial for mental wellbeing, acknowledging that how we manage our mental health is as personal as the diverse ways we engage with support networks. At Thrive Mental Wellbeing, we champion individuality by empowering users to choose their preferred method of support, ensuring a tailored approach for each unique journey.
Our commitment aligns seamlessly with the Brew Monday initiative, recognising the value of communication in nurturing relationships. With Brits consuming a staggering 100 million cups of tea daily, we pondered whether our tea choices reflect the individuality we exhibit in managing mental health.
To explore this, we conducted a survey in December 2023, seeking to unveil the intricacies of our tea-drinking habits. Unveiling intriguing trends, we delved into the popular and less-preferred tea choices, geographical influences, and whether age shapes our preferences.
Most Popular Tea: Regular Strength, No Sugar
Contrary to assumptions, the most popular tea choice in the UK is a regular strength tea with no sugar, showcasing a shift towards healthier dietary preferences. Regular strength tea, with a balance of milk but not overly strong, encompasses 31% of tea consumers in the nation.
Least Popular Tea: Black Tea
Black tea emerges as the least favoured, with only 4% enjoying sweet black tea and 7% opting for black tea with no sugar. This shift may reflect global dietary changes, with an increasing number of people moving away from dairy milk.
Geographical Influences on Tea Preferences
Geographical location plays a role in shaping tea preferences, as highlighted by our survey:
- Scots tend to favour milky tea, with an equal split on sugar preferences.
- Londoners lean towards strong and sweet tea, with only 3% opting for milky tea.
- The East Midlands, South East, and South West prefer regular strength tea with no sugar more significantly than any other region.
- Approximately 19% of Northern Ireland prefer black tea with no sugar, and there is a minimal preference for tea with sugar.
- Residents in Wales generally favour milky tea, leading in the preference for milky sweet tea, as over 22% cite it as their favourite brew.
Tea Preferences Across Age Groups
Our survey delved into age-related tea preferences, revealing intriguing patterns:
- Black tea is more popular among younger demographics, with 33% of 18–24-year-olds favouring it.
- Regular strength, no sugar tea becomes more popular with age, rising to 32% for those 65 and over.
- Preferences for sweet tea decline with age, with 58% of young people enjoying it, dropping to 58% abstaining from sugar after age 55.
- Conclusion: Individuality Prevails
While geographical and age-related trends emerged, our tea survey underscores the uniqueness of personal choices. Just as our tea preferences vary, so do our approaches to mental health. Thrive Mental Wellbeing understands and embraces this diversity, offering tailored solutions that recognise the individuality of each user. Our therapists collaborate with individuals to ensure personalised support, steering away from a one-size-fits-all model.
In summary, whether you take your tea with milk or prefer it black, whether you're young or young at heart, your choices are as unique as your mental health. Thrive Mental Wellbeing is committed to supporting individuals on their distinct paths, recognising that embracing diversity is the key to fostering positive mental health outcomes. As Brew Monday encourages connections over a cuppa, we invite you to consider the uniqueness of your tea choice and, in the same vein, celebrate the distinctiveness of your mental health journey.
Read the full survey report today.
