Coffee machines sales on the rise

Joe Elvin

14/11/2011 09:49:16

Britain is becoming a nation of coffee-lovers, according to newly-released statistics.

According to a report in The Mail Online, sales of coffee machines are up 20 per cent compared to last year, whilst department stores are now selling far more espresso cups than they are mugs.

More than twice as many espresso cups have been sold than mugs over the past twelve months, suggesting that coffee is replacing a cup of tea as the nation’s favourite hot beverage.

Christopher Gardner, who is a buying manager for popular British department Selfridges, was far from surprised by the revelations.

Speaking to The Daily Telegraph, he claimed that Brits were increasingly taking the time to hunt for the best coffee machine and beans for their home.

He said: “While the world believes we are a nation whose lives revolve around the great British cup of tea, our sales show clearly that we’re becoming a land run on coffee.

“With espresso cups outselling tea mugs for the first time, and sales of Italian coffee machines on the rise, our customers are becoming real coffee aficionados searching out single estate beans and snapping up the paraphernalia needed to create barista quality coffee at home.” 

Most coffee machines require the use of smaller expresso cups rather than standard mugs, which are too large to fit inside.