Lingnan study finds more young people drink tea than soft drinks regularly; Half respondents regard flavoured tea as Chinese tea

To understand their awareness of and interest in the Chinese tea culture, the Asia-Pacific Institute of Ageing Studies at Lingnan University conducted a public opinion survey and analysis of the tea consumption habits of young people in the Hong Kong SAR. The findings show that more than three quarters of respondents drink Chinese tea regularly. However, as many as half also drink “flavoured tea” with sugar, floral flavours or milk frequently. The proportion of young people who drink tea regularly was significantly higher than soft and speciality drinks, although more than one third were unfamiliar with the health benefits of tea. Scholars point out that parents exert a strong influence on young people’s tea-drinking habits and suggest that different sectors of society might organise intergenerational activities to pass the Chinese tea culture on to younger generations.

Between March and July 2025, the researchers circulated a questionnaire to 488 Hong Kong SAR residents aged between 12 and 39 to find out how much they know about Chinese tea and related beverages and how much they drink. More than three quarters (76.2%) of respondents drink Chinese tea regularly, and the largest proportion (33.8%) drink Chinese tea one to four times a month Although this was a higher proportion than for coffee (25%), it remained lower than for other beverages. As many as 53.4 per cent of respondents consume speciality drinks such as bubble tea and fruit tea one to four times per month, followed by freshly squeezed juice (42.9%), soft drinks (39.6%), and packaged or bottled juice (38.1%).

The proportion of respondents who drank Chinese tea 11 or more times a month was 25.4 per cent, the highest of all beverage categories, surpassing coffee (17.5%), packaged or bottled juice (17.5%), soft drinks (14%), speciality drinks (10.8%), and freshly squeezed juice (6.3%), which suggests that some young people have developed a regular habit of drinking tea in the long-term (Figure 1).

Figure 1: The largest proportion of young respondents reported drinking Chinese tea one to four times a month (33.8%).

Regarding their preferences, young respondents usually preferred pu-erh (65%), followed by tieguanyin (49%) and jasmine tea (31%). However, nearly half of respondents (49%) also drink flavoured teas containing sugar, floral flavours or milk frequently (Figure 2), reflecting increasingly blurred boundaries between traditional and modern teas in younger generations.

Figure 2: Nearly half the respondents (49%) drink flavoured tea containing sugar, floral flavours or milk regularly.

When asked whose opinions influenced their choice of tea, 39.7 per cent of respondents said that their parents had a “great” or “strong” influence. By comparison, the influence of their friends (11.4%) and social media (11%) was much less (Figure 3), which shows the stronger role of families in passing on the Chinese tea culture to younger generations.

Figure 3: 39.7 per cent of young respondents said that their choice of tea was influenced to a “high” or “strong degree” by their parents.

The most common reasons for choosing a tea were the “aroma” (55%) or “taste” (50%). Nearly half (47%) also cited “family customs” - more than those who associated Chinese tea with “health benefits” (37%), “cultural identity” (19%), or “emotional stability” (17%) (Figure 4).

Figure 4: When asked why they drink tea, respondents usually said “aroma” (55%) or “taste” (50%).

However, young people who drink tea have a limited understanding of its health benefits. More than one third of respondents (34.1%) said that they “knew nothing about” or had “only heard of” these benefits of tea, and nearly half (44.2%) that they “knew nothing about” or had “only heard of” Chinese tea brewing techniques. The study also found that nearly 70% of respondents (68.1%) expressed “average”, “considerable”, or “very strong” interest in learning tea arts, which shows that although the Hong Kong younger generation’s knowledge of Chinese teas is limited, they are generally interested in learning more.

Prof Dickson Chan Chak-Kwan, Research Professor and Director of Asia-Pacific Institute of Ageing Studies at Lingnan University, said that traditional Chinese tea processing techniques and associated social practices were inscribed on the United Nations Educational Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity in 2022. He noted that while the Chinese Mainland has actively promoted tea culture education for young people, the Hong Kong SAR still does not really understand the health benefits of tea or how to brew it, adding “Promoting tea culture helps pass on the essence of Chinese culture to younger generations. The study finds that parents have a great influence on forming the habit of tea drinking in their children, and recommends that primary and secondary schools and cultural organisations undertake activities that encourage parents and children to learn about Chinese tea together, so that tea drinking is encouraged and the cultural heritage of Chinese tea more effectively passed on to young people.”

Lingnan study finds more young people drink tea than soft drinks regularly. Generated picture.

Prof Chan also suggested that the education sector make the most of young people’s interest in the tea arts to develop their understanding of Chinese tea culture. Flavoured teas may initially build public awareness of the differences between pure and sugar-sweetened flavoured teas, reduce dependency on sugary beverages, and in the long run help promote a healthier diet.

"Research on Tea Consumption among Youth in Hong Kong" is part of the "Chinese Tea Promotion in Young People " Project (2024-2026). The project is sponsored by the Tin Ka Ping Foundation and aims to promote Chinese tea arts among young people and the public in Hong Kong through seminars and tea appreciation workshops, to encourage the understanding of Chinese traditional culture and promote physical and mental well-being.

Jointly organised by Lingnan University and Yuanpei College of Peking University (PKU), the onsite seven-day intensive training camp (held from 2 to 8 July 2026) amid the third Lingnan-Yuanpei STEM Summer Academy concluded on the Lingnan University campus, showcasing how the next generation of Beijing-Hong Kong talents seamlessly blends cutting-edge scientific innovation with a profound humanistic spirit, and empowering student entrepreneurs to transform creative ideas into socially responsible and real-world business solutions.

The culminating STEM Roadshow Competition saw around 30 students forming five teams pitch viable, tech-driven business models that prioritised social value alongside commercial feasibility.

After rounds of prototyping, pitching and assessment, the team “SenseShield” won the championship. SenseShield is a pioneering menstrual leak emergency system integrated with inclusive design. The “3-in-1” emergency kit is as compact as a pocket-sized tissue pack, making it exceptionally portable. It features three innovative essentials for women: a stylish emergency camouflage half-skirt, a leak-proof sanitary seat mat, and an odour-resistant disposable seal bag. By addressing a previously unmet market need for “post-leak self-rescue”, the project aims to alleviate women’s hidden anxieties and advance equality through accessible products. The team was mentored by Mr Adrian Lo Chun-kwong, Chief Design Lead of the UNU Hub on Humanitarian Innovation and Technology at Lingnan University.

Sharing her joy upon winning the award, Leta Li Xinying, the leader of the champion team and a Lingnan graduating student from the Master of Arts in Social Entrepreneurship and Innovation Management programme, expressed, “We are all incredibly thrilled to win this competition, and we are delighted that our hard work has been recognised. I believe the key to our success was teamwork - every team member approached the competition with dedication and actively shared ideas with one another. Moving forward, we hope to obtain international standards and various certifications for our product, discover investment partners, and bring this project to fruition.” The winning team was awarded a cash prize of HKD$50,000 sponsored by Lingnan Foundation, along with eligibility to receive up to HKD$500,000 from the Lingnan Foundation Prototype Fund to productise their idea.

Other award-winning projects included:

• First runner-up - Fluency Auditor: A Multimodal AI-Driven Linguistic Assessment Platform

• Second runner-up - AI Cognitive Training Device for Elderly with Mild Cognitive Impairment

• Merit awards - Darlink (AI Matching)

• Low-Cost Intelligent Device and System for Real-Time Mosquito Monitoring

Embodying Lingnan’s motto, “Education for Service”, this year’s summer academy focused heavily on human-centric technology. Elite students from diverse academic backgrounds, including artificial intelligence, data science, arts, business, social sciences, and interdisciplinary studies, formed inter-institutional teams to tackle pressing community, health, and environmental challenges. It was attended by Prof Raymond Chan Hon-fu, Vice-President (Academics) cum Provost and Lam Man Tsan Chair Professor of Scientific Computing at Lingnan University, and Mr Chai Teng, Executive Deputy Secretary of the CYL Committee of PKU’s Yuanpei College, with the judging panel comprising Dr Daniel Chun, Vice President of the Smart City Consortium, Ms Lillian Li, Executive Director of the Social Impact Partners, and Mr Edmond Lam, Senior Manager (AI & Data) of the Hong Kong Science and Technology Parks Corporation.

Reflecting on the overall performance of participants, the judging panel remarked, “What set this year’s cohorts apart was their ability to look past pure profitability but code for a cause. We were thoroughly impressed by how these young innovators didn’t just showcase technical brilliance, but deeply researched the human element of their chosen problems. The synergy between Lingnan University and PKU was palpable. They seamlessly combined high-level data intelligence with a practical and community-first mindset.”

Prof Raymond Chan Hon-fu, Vice-President (Academics) cum Provost and Lam Man Tsan Chair Professor of Scientific Computing at Lingnan University, commended the participants and organisers during his closing remarks of the STEM Roadshow Competition, “It has been a privilege to witness the dedication, creativity, and perseverance of every participant. This cross-institutional collaboration between Lingnan University and Peking University’s Yuanpei College succeeded because of the seamless coordination of our staff and project advisors. To our students: you are all winners in our eyes. You have demonstrated how to harness technology and human values for the betterment of our world. Go forward and become the socially responsible leaders of tomorrow.”

Addressing the competition’s closing with a pre-recorded message, Mr Li Zhe, Chair of the PKU’s Yuanpei College Council, remarked that over the past week, students from both universities had brilliantly integrated the embracement of naturalism and human-centric liberal arts philosophy. They had proven that true innovation is never just about piling up technologies; it is a profound response to the genuine needs of human society. Mr Li hopes that this friendship spanning two cities continues to plant seeds of innovation, and looks forward to seeing these students evolve into visionary leaders equipped with both technological prowess and humanistic literacy.

Since its inception in 2024, the Lingnan-Yuanpei STEM Summer Academy has grown into a vital platform for deep cross-institutional collaboration and talent cultivation. It targets to further enhance the integrated development combining education, technology, and high-calibre talent cultivation, and actively promote the “Study in Hong Kong” brand. The winning projects elegantly addressed real social pain points, proving out students’ ability to root STEM knowledge in real-world scenarios.

The champion team “SenseShield” celebrates their victory at the signature competition under Lingnan-Yuanpei STEM Summer Academy 2026 with Prof Raymond Chan Hon-fu, Vice-President (Academics) cum Provost and Lam Man Tsan Chair Professor of Scientific Computing at Lingnan University (first right), Mr Chai Teng, Executive Deputy Secretary of the CYL Committee of Yuanpei College, Peking University (first left), and the competition judges.

The champion team, “SenseShield”, presents their pioneering menstrual period leakage emergency system, filling a gap in the market for “post-leakage self-rescue” and dedicating themselves to eliminating women’s anxiety.

The champion team, “SenseShield”, presents their pioneering menstrual period leakage emergency system, filling a gap in the market for “post-leakage self-rescue” and dedicating themselves to eliminating women’s anxiety.

The “Fluency Auditor: A Multimodal AI-Driven Linguistic Assessment Platform” team notches up the first runner-up prize from Dr Daniel Chun, Vice President of the Smart City Consortium (first left).

The “AI Cognitive Training Device for Elderly with Mild Cognitive Impairment” team receives the second runner-up prize from Ms Lillian Li, Executive Director of the Social Impact Partners (first left).

Mr Edmond Lam, Senior Manager (AI & Data) of the Hong Kong Science and Technology Parks Corporation (first left) presents merit awards to two teams, namely, “Darlink (AI Matching)” and “Low-Cost Intelligent Device and System for Real-Time Mosquito Monitoring”.

Mr Edmond Lam, Senior Manager (AI & Data) of the Hong Kong Science and Technology Parks Corporation (first left) presents merit awards to two teams, namely, “Darlink (AI Matching)” and “Low-Cost Intelligent Device and System for Real-Time Mosquito Monitoring”.

Prof Raymond Chan Hon-fu, Vice-President (Academics) cum Provost and Lam Man Tsan Chair Professor of Scientific Computing at Lingnan University speaks at the STEM Roadshow Competition.

Mr Li Zhe, Chair of the Yuanpei College Council of Peking University delivers a closing video remark.