The number of UK coffee shops have more than doubled in the last decade
The UK's love for coffee is booming, with the number of coffee shops more than doubling in the last decade.
A new report shows there are now 20,728 outlets across the UK, one for every 3,000 people – up from 8,887 outlets in the UK ten years ago.
The study, by Allegra Strategies, also found that three of the largest brands – Costa, Starbucks and Caffe Nero – account for over half of the market between them.
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Costa has 1,992 outlets, Starbucks owns 849 coffee shops and Caffe Nero has 620.
And the trend isn't letting up either, the report suggests the coffee shop sector continues to be one of the most successful in the UK economy, which could mean the UK has up to 30,000 coffee shops by 2025. It added:
Coffee quality is now expected and is being constantly improved across the sector due to the influence from both artisan chains and independents.
Increasing competition provides consumers with better choice of quality coffee at home, work and from non-specialists, with consumer choice now based on far more criteria than ever before.
Compared to last year, sales are up 10 per cent this year, with the market estimated to be worth £7.9bn, with Britons enjoying 2.2bn cups of coffee in shops.
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The growth in the number of coffee shops has also afforded work opportunities for a large number of young people, but the report points out that many are employed on zero-hour contracts.