The amount of tea imported from the United States exceeds that of the United Kingdom for the first time, and coffee consumption is relatively reduced.

According to the Financial Times on March 18, as more and more young US consumers choose tea instead of coffee, the US imported more tea than the UK for the first time last year.

Us tea imports have risen by 30 per cent over the past decade, according to the International Trade Centre (International Trade Centre). In 2014, the United States imported a total of 129166 tons of tea, while Britain imported 126512 tons.

Although the UK is still one of the leading consumers of tea, tea sales in the UK are declining. British tea imports have fallen by 20 per cent over the past decade.

Peter Goggi, president of the American Tea Association (Tea Association), said the increase in tea consumption was most pronounced among people between the ages of 16 and 26. "We have found that the idea that tea is good for health has indeed been widely accepted," he said. "

A US survey conducted by YouGov, a polling company, also highlighted the growing popularity of tea among younger consumers. The company found that coffee and tea were equally popular between the ages of 18 and 29. But 62% of people between the ages of 45 and 64 prefer coffee. 70% of people over the age of 65 choose coffee.

Iced tea has always played a leading role in American tea drinks. However, anecdotal evidence suggests that hot tea consumption is growing.

As tea is increasingly becoming a low-fat drink of choice, tea shops are springing up all over the United States. In 2012, Starbucks entered the tea market by acquiring Teavana, a tea company.

While tea consumption in the United States is growing, coffee consumption is decreasing. According to the latest annual survey by the National Coffee Association (National Coffee Association), 59 per cent of Americans say they drink one cup of coffee a day, down from 61 per cent in 2014 and 63 per cent in 2013.

This is bad news for coffee traders who are already worried about falling prices for Arabica coffee beans.

In Britain, more people are turning to coffee. Annual per capita tea consumption in the UK fell steadily from 1.6 kg to 1.4 kg between 2009 and 2014, while annual coffee consumption rose from 0.9 kg to 1.2 kg over the same period.