Tea drinkers shunning traditional English breakfast Although sales of standard tea have been static in the past 12 months, the amount spent on fruit, herbal and green teas has been increasing year on year, according to data from market analysts Kantar Worldpanel. According to figures released last year by research company Mintel, the number of Britons drinking traditional tea fell to 83 per cent in 2012, down from 87 per cent the year before. Last year drinkers spent £22 million on green tea-bags, up from £12 million in 2009. Jonathan Chiu, managing director of tea makes Make Mine A Builders said:" If you look back 15 years ago, you would find that the average consumer would be drinking three or four cups of tea a day. Today they might be starting the day with a cup of tea but after lunch they might be having a peppermint tea to aid digestion and finishing the day with something like a camomile.  Researchers have also found green tea could play a role in protecting the body against cancer and other types of disease. In 2011 Newcastle University scientists found that a cup of green tea a day appeared to protect the brain against Alzheimer's disease and other forms of dementia. Mintel said last year the overall tea market is forecast to grow by 8 per cent to £708 million by 2016.