Revealed: The high street hot drinks that contain the most caffeine – including one popular beverage with the equivalent of four cans of Red Bull
New analysis by consumer group Which? has found significant variation in caffeine levels across popular high street hot drinks, with some containing far more than others despite appearing similar. The findings highlight that customers, including those who assume lighter drinks like matcha lattes are low in caffeine, could be consuming considerably more than they realise, which matters for people managing their intake for health reasons.
Costa's medium cappuccino topped the list with 325mg of caffeine, roughly equivalent to four 250ml cans of Red Bull, while Pret's Matcha Latte contained the least at 28mg. Which? tested drinks including espressos, cappuccinos, filter coffees, flat whites, americanos and matcha lattes across Caffè Nero, Costa, Greggs, Starbucks and Pret a Manger, finding wide inconsistencies even within the same drink type: Pret's espresso contained 180mg versus Starbucks' 45mg, and Costa's americano had 325mg compared with Starbucks' 89mg. The British Heart Foundation advises up to 400mg of caffeine daily is safe for most adults, though excessive intake can cause increased heart rate or palpitations in sensitive individuals. Costa said it provides caffeine and nutritional information across its menu to help customers make informed choices.
- Which? found huge caffeine variation across high street hot drinks
- Costa's medium cappuccino has most caffeine, at 325mg
- Pret's Matcha Latte has least, with just 28mg
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The rise of pricey high street coffee has come with a wide range of caffeine content that isn't always obvious from the drink's name or size, and shoppers rarely have an easy way to compare one chain's cappuccino against another's. Consumer group Which? set out to test this by measuring caffeine levels in popular hot drinks from major chains, looking at everyday orders such as americanos, flat whites, filter coffee and matcha lattes.
Caffeine is a stimulant found naturally in coffee beans and tea leaves, including matcha, and is also added to energy drinks like Red Bull. Health bodies such as the British Heart Foundation set daily guidance on safe intake, since too much can cause a raised heart rate or palpitations in some people, which is why the amount in a daily coffee run matters to those watching their consumption.
The chains involved include Costa, Starbucks, Caffè Nero, Greggs and Pret a Manger, all major players on the British high street. Because caffeine content varies not just between chains but even between similar drinks at the same chain, the findings speak to a wider question about how clearly this information is presented to customers.