Americans Like Their Soft Drinks Over Coffee

Coffee promoters said Friday that Americans not only drink less of it than before, but prefer soft drinks.

The report by the London-based International Coffee Organization said all age groups in the United States drink less coffee now, but the decline is sharpest in the 20-29 age group, based on figures collected in the winter of 1984-85.

It said tea, soft drinks and fruit juices have gained from coffee’s decline, and 30.9% of Americans now prefer tea compared with 24.7% in 1962. For soft drinks the rise was from 32.6% in 1962 to 59.4%.

Americans who drink coffee consume 3.33 cups a day, compared with 4.17 cups in 1962. Per capita, that amounts to 1.83 cups daily against 3.12, the organization said.

It began keeping records in 1950.