Caffeine consumption is surging among younger generations, with Millennials and Gen Z members reporting increased intake of coffee and energy drinks.
A study by Medianet in January found 64 per cent of Millennials drink two to three coffees per day while 42 per cent only drink one coffee per day.
University of Wollongong student Dominique Mcpherson, said the rise in caffeine consumption is a normalised activity, where coffee and energy drinks have become routine.
“Coffee is really popular, especially because it’s such a normalised kind of drug and energy drinks seem to have like a worse reputation I would guess,” Ms Mcpherson said.
“People don’t really care as much about not drinking that kind of stuff, especially with uni, like if they need energy, if you’re staying up late working on tasks and things like that,” she said.
“That becomes something that people start to rely on.”
According to a GlobalData analysis, 48 per cent of Generation Z survey participants said they would consume energy drinks, which was the most popular beverage in that study.
Additionally, the analysis showed 42 per cent of men drank more energy drinks than women.
“The surge can be due to availability of the products consumed,” Ms Mcpherson said.
“I think it’s just because like they’re so easy to get and it’s just like a cheap little “Oh, treat myself.”
“Like for sure, with coffee, like you go and you do get addicted, and then if you do get into drinking coffee a lot, you get addicted and then when you’re not drinking it, you get- you literally get withdrawals, which I feel like people don’t recognise a lot when they do get into it,” she said.
University of Wollongong student Annabelle Franklin echoed this sentiment and said a large reason can be due to the culture the younger generation has with it.
“I think it likely has something to do with the environment young people are in,” Ms Franklin said.
“You often see young people start drinking high levels of coffee and energy drinks during high school, from as young an age of 13.
“They consume caffeine to stay up at night and do assignments, wake up enough for classes in the morning, et cetera.
“This paired with the ease of accessibility young people have to caffeinated drinks, including in stores, vending machines, and in schools, likely contributes to an early development of addiction which would continue through their lives,” she said.
In the study by Medianet, both 61 per cent of Generation Z and 59 per cent of Millennials have drunk more iced coffee than Baby Boomers at 27 per cent.
Additionally, 46 per cent of university students say they consume coffee to overcome the ‘Uni slump’.
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