The US imported more tea than the UK last year for the first time, as an increasing number of young American consumers are choosing the brew¹ over coffee.

随着越来越多的美国年轻消费者选择喝茶而不是咖啡，去年美国的茶叶进口量首次超过英国。

US imports of tea have risen 30 per cent by volume in the past decade, according to data from the International Trade Centre. Imports totalled 129,166 tonnes in 2014, compared with the UK’s 126,512 tonnes.

国际贸易中心(International Trade Centre)的数据显示，过去十年美国茶叶进口量增长了30%。2014年，美国总共进口了129166吨茶叶，英国则进口了126512吨。

In the UK — still one of the leading tea consuming nations — sales are declining, with imports falling 20 per cent in the past decade.

虽然英国仍是领先的茶叶消费国之一，但在英国，茶叶销量却在下降。过去十年，英国茶叶进口量下降了20%。

Peter Goggi, president of the Tea Association of the USA, said the increase in tea consumption was most pronounced among those aged² between 16 and 26. “What we’re seeing is the message that tea is good for your health has really permeated,” he said.

美国茶叶协会(Tea Association)主席彼得•戈吉(Peter Goggi)表示，茶叶消费量增长在16岁到26岁人群当中体现得最明显。他说：“我们发现，喝茶有益健康的理念确实已被广泛接受。”

A survey by pollster YouGov in the US also highlighted the rising popularity of tea among younger consumers. It found that coffee and tea were equally popular among 18 to 29-year-old people but 62 per cent of 45 to 64-year-old people and 70 per cent of over-65s preferred coffee.

民意调查公司YouGov在美国开展的一项调查也突显出，茶叶在较年轻消费者当中越来越受欢迎。该公司发现，在18岁到29岁人群当中，咖啡与茶的受欢迎度是相等的。但在45岁到64岁人群当中，62%的人更喜欢喝咖啡。在65岁以上人群当中，选择咖啡的比例达到70%。

Iced tea has always dominated the tea category in the US but anecdotal evidence suggests consumption of hot tea is on the rise.

在美国茶类饮料中，冰茶一直占主导地位。不过坊间证据显示，热茶消费量正在增长。

Tea shops are popping up nationwide, with the drink emerging as a low-fat beverage³ of choice. Starbucks moved into tea by buying Teavana, a speciality company, in 2012.

随着茶饮日益成为一种低脂饮料选择，茶店正在美国各地迅速涌现。2012年，星巴克(Starbuck)通过收购专营茶饮的公司Teavana进入了茶饮市场。

The rise in tea consumption in the US comes as coffee drinking is on the wane⁴. According to the National Coffee Association’s latest annual survey, 59 per cent of Americans said they drank a cup of coffee a day, down from 61 per cent in 2014 and 63 per cent in 2013.

在美国茶叶消费量增长之际，咖啡消费量却在减少。美国国家咖啡协会(National Coffee Association)最新年度调查报告显示，59%的美国人表示他们每天会喝一杯咖啡，这一比例低于2014年的61%，也低于2013年的63%。

This is bad news for coffee traders already fretting⁵ about the fall in arabica bean prices.

对于已经在为阿拉比卡咖啡豆价格下跌感到担忧的咖啡交易商来说，这可是个坏消息。

In the UK more people are turning to coffee. Tea consumption has fallen steadily⁶ from 1.6kg per person in 2009 to 1.4kg in 2014, compared with a rise in coffee usage from 0.9kg per person to 1.2kg over the same period.

而在英国，更多的人则在转向咖啡。2009年到2014年，英国年人均茶叶消费量已从1.6公斤稳步降至1.4公斤；同一时期，年人均咖啡消费量却从0.9公斤升至1.2公斤。