A Chinese Tea Phenomenon: Trends of Consumption in Poland in Relation to Pro-Ecological Behavior

Purpose: Poland is the third tea consumer in Europe and after World War II it became beloved beverage of Poles. The study aimed to determine the knowledge, preferences, and habits of Polish consumers regarding the consumption of Chinese tea. Due to urgent need of currently shaping pro-ecological awareness of single consumers become the important trend allowing for implementation of sustainable development rules trough “acting locally and thinking globally”. Design/Methodology/Approach: The article presents the results of a survey conducted in Poland in the years 2016-2017 among 622 respondents. Findings: The results showed that Chinese tea, especially green tea, is a popular tea infusion in Poland. Most often it is purchased in shops and tea houses, in the form of dry leaves, due to its taste and health properties. Teas are prepared according to individual preferences. Practical Implications: Spreading the knowledge on the consumption of Chinese tea in Poland may be beneficial both for active participants of health-promoting market and those who are involved in the production, distribution, and sale of teas. In a broader sense it may also contribute to satisfying the needs of sustainable development oriented consumers. Originality/Value: Regarding the pro-ecological behaviour of Chinese tea consumers in Poland it was revealed in the research that economic factors influenced positively larger amounts of tea were bought at one time as it generated lower costs. Knowledge and ecological awareness among tea consumers affected negatively on pro-ecological behavior regarding the number of brewing from the one portion of tea as well as the amount of tea prepared at one time.