Brits are coffee junkies

A boom in high street coffee bars is prompting millions of people to try more adventurous cuppas at home.

Flavoured cappuccinos, frappÈs and stronger Continental ground coffees are soaring in popularity while demand for tea and instant blends is dwindling.

Sales of ground coffee have risen by ten per cent to £88.4million in the past year.

The Grocer magazine, which published the findings yesterday, said: 'The Starbucks and Costa coffee chains have turned many Brits into caffeine junkies.

'A growing taste for stronger, richer coffees has translated into their drinking habits back home.'

Josie Wright, from Somerfield supermarkets, agreed: 'More customers are looking for ground coffee or latte or cappuccino. The growth of coffee cafÈs inside supermarkets is evidence of this.'

Espresso is the fastest-growing ground coffee, showing an increase in sales of 16 per cent this year. In Europe, most people drink fresh coffee and would not dream of serving instant.

Britons, however, still enjoy a brew from a jar, with instant coffee sales totalling £556million last year. However, although buoyant, the instant coffee market was down by 0.1 per cent - and tea sales fell by 2.8 per cent in a last year.

Only herbal teas experienced a similar sales boom to fresh coffees - rising by 9.5 per cent since 2002.

Aspokesman for The Grocer said: 'Tea is just not trendy. Tea bars have not taken off and the average age of the tea drinker is rising.'

The biggest hurdle for coffee makers was appealing to 15 to 24-year-olds, who preferred soft drinks, he added.