NL residents drink less, but more expensive coffee

People in the Netherlands are drinking less coffee, but are more willing to spend more for a quality cup of the caffeinated beverage. In liters, the amount of coffee consumed in the Netherlands decreased by roughly 8 percent since 2005. But the amount of money spent on coffee increased by 20 percent, NOS reports based on figures from the Euromonitor.

According to hospitality consultancy firm Van Spronsen, the average price for a cup of coffee on the terrace increased by 12 percent over the past five years, from 2.20 euros to 2.46 euros. People also drink more expensive coffee at home, figures from market researcher Nielsen show. In 2010, people in the Netherlands spent 620 million euros on coffee in supermarkets, now it is over 800 million euros. And that is excluding the Nespresso capsules. Last year Nespresso was number 19 on the list of 100 largest retail web shops in the Netherlands, with a turnover of 105 million euros.

The decrease in coffee consumption despite the increase in spending has to do with coffee increasingly being made by cup, instead of by pot, marketing director Erik van Houten of Nespresso said to NOS. "In the past, it was customary to make a whole pot of coffee at home or at work. But then we washed a lot down the sink. Since the rise of the Senseo, making coffee per cup is winning a lot of ground. So we waste less." Senseo is a per-cup coffee maker conceived in 2001 by Douwe Egberts and Philips. The same principle applies to the Nespresso capsule system.

Trade association Coffee and Tea Netherlands does not completely agree with the Euromonitor figures. The 8 percent decrease in consumption is on the high side, the association said to the broadcaster. "We think it is a slightly downward trend. It's difficult, figures about the coffee market. Home, hospitality, gas stations, Ikea: coffee is sold everywhere. We think there is no good overall overview."