the tea market | France

1.1 Presentation and definition of the market

Tea, with 1.5 billion cups drunk every day, is the second most widely consumed beverage in the world after water. First used in China, introduced to Japan in the late eighth century and an integral part of British culture, tea also has a special place in Middle Eastern cultures. This international nature of tea is reflected in the long list of countries in which tea is consumed.

Tea is a beverage obtained from the leaves of the tea plant (of which there are about 200 species), infused in hot water. The types of tea are differentiated by their colors (black, green, oolong, yellow, white and post-fermented) which differ according to the treatment of the harvested leaves. Rooibos or "red tea" is in fact an infusion obtained from the leaves of the Aspalathus linearis, found only in South Africa, and not from the tea plant.

Consumption habits differ from country to country. In France, tea is mostly consumed in bag. Black tea is consumed twice as much as green tea, despite a smaller increase of the latter. The most popular tea segments are those evoking the journey (Darjeeling, Ceylon).

In this study, we will look at the market for tea consumed at home as well as the market for tea consumed away from home. The tea market is growing rapidly around the world and is experiencing significant growth in France. The tea market in France accounted for 0.4% of the global market in 2018.