LONDON, UK – Costa Coffee has been at the forefront of keeping the British public caffeinated during another turbulent 12 months for the retail sector, providing a much-cherished space to meet with friends, grab a coffee on-the-go or simply savour a moment of me-time.
Those efforts have paid off, with UK consumers unanimously voting Costa Coffee to the top spot as The Nation’s Favourite coffee shop.
In a survey* of more than 4,000 UK consumers, World Coffee Portal asked the Great British public to name their favourite coffee shop.
For the 12th consecutive year, Costa Coffee has taken the top spot once again to be voted The Nation’s Favourite coffee shop.
Costa Coffee: A tradition of innovation
With more than 50 years of coffee heritage behind it, the company continues to spearhead market innovation with new store formats, digital integration, and fresh, new products.
Last year Costa Express installed a further 1,325 machines and launched its first Costa Express Hot and Iced Drinks machine, the world’s first integrated self-serve coffee machine delivering a range of more than 500 barista-quality hot and iced drinks. With 57% of UK consumers surveyed** open to trying drive-thru, Costa Coffee has been at the forefront of catering to an increased demand for the format.
The coffee chain opened 75 new drive-thru sites in 2020, making it the UK market leader by outlets. Last year, the brand relaunched its Costa Club reward scheme, designed to give members even more rewards each time they visit.
Customers can now collect ‘Beans’ towards free drinks, earning double Beans each time they use a reusable cup, making it one of the most competitive and sustainable loyalty schemes available. Via the Costa Coffee app, customers can also receive personalised offers and access their account straight from a mobile device.
The best of British
2021 also saw Costa Coffee announce a new food offering with Marks & Spencer to introduce an even greater range of quality food. Building on Costa Coffee’s much-loved food range, Costa Coffee Now Serving M&S will supply a range of M&S Food, including its iconic range of fresh sandwiches and salads alongside vegan-friendly and gluten free Plant Kitchen and Made Without products.
The range will be available in more than 2,500 Costa Coffee stores and drive-thru locations in the UK.
Looking after the environment
Costa Coffee has continued its ongoing mission to improve the sustainability of its cups, reduce packaging waste and look after the planet.
In 2021 Costa Coffee launched the trial of a new blockchain technology-powered reusable cup scheme called BURT (Borrow, Use, Reuse, Take Back). Live in selected stores in Glasgow, the trial hopes to shift consumer behaviour towards reusing coffee cups. Meanwhile, Costa continues to release innovative reusable products, including on-the-go reusable cups and water bottles, the latest in partnership with Aero.
Playing its part to help the UK meet its Net Zero emissions target, the company has also teamed up with InstaVolt to install rapid electric vehicle (EV) charging points at select drive-thru sites across the UK.
Commenting on the accolade, Allegra Group CEO and Founder Jeffrey Young, said: “Well done Costa Coffee, who have once again achieved the accolade for the Nation’s Favourite coffee shop. It has been a challenging year for UK coffee shops, but it is also exciting to see the industry rebound so quickly. Throughout this time, Costa Coffee has been a leading light in keeping the UK coffee industry strong and I’ve no doubt they will continue to capture the hearts and minds of British consumers for years to come.”
Adrian Cook, Interim UK&I Managing Director, said: “We are thrilled to have been voted the Nation’s Favourite coffee shop for the twelfth consecutive year. We continue to emerge stronger from the pandemic thanks to the hard work of our talented baristas and the ongoing support of our franchisees, partners, and suppliers and all our Costa Coffee colleagues around the UK.
“In 2021 we celebrated our 50th Birthday with our customers, launching some incredible special offers, including 50p coffee days across our stores, Express machines, and at-home and FMCG range. Over the last twelve months we have invested heavily in our UK business, including our store propositions and Express machines as well as launching innovative new drinks ranges and announcing Costa Coffee Now Serving M&S Food, which launches in Spring 2022.
“We are incredibly grateful to the support of our customers and for the role they allow us to play within their day-to-day lives and communities. Our whole team are excited for another fantastic year in 2022 – serving more cups of great coffee, to more people, more often.”
* The open text question “What is your favourite branded coffee shop chain?” was asked to an independent panel of over 4,000 UK coffee shop consumers with 53.1% answering Costa Coffee
** Taken from a panel of over 50,000 UK coffee shop consumers
