Well-known coffee brand raises prices twice in six months, consumers outraged: 'We're done drinking!'

Costa Coffee Raises Prices Twice in Six Months, Sparking Consumer Outrage

When coffee comes up, most workers instantly reel off their favorite chains: China's homegrown Manner and Luckin, America's Starbucks, Britain's Costa Coffee. But while Shanghai celebrates Costa's reopening there, the chain has managed to enrage many consumers in the UK — by raising prices for the second time in six months.

According to Britain's Daily Mail on June 3rd, Costa Coffee raised its prices for the second time in half a year, with the latest increase averaging 14 pence per drink — and consumers are furious. (1 British pound = 100 pence; 1 British pound ≈ 8.32 RMB.)

Consumers reported that a flat white climbed from £2.95 to £3.30; a medium skim-milk latte rose from £3.10 to £3.35; and a small cappuccino went from £3.15 to £3.50.

The latest increase took effect on June 1st. The chain explained that drink prices vary by location, with the exact rise depending on beverage type and cup size, while the average across drinks works out to 14 pence.

Company Response and Consumer Reactions

Per the Daily Mail, the increases are Costa's attempt to relieve inflationary pressure by passing rising costs on to consumers.

A Costa spokesperson said that, like all retailers, Costa faces unprecedented inflationary pressure and rising costs. That's a challenge for consumers too, which is why Costa has worked hard to absorb costs — but ultimately had to make the difficult decision to raise drink prices.

Some netizens woke up to discover Costa's prices had quietly gone up.

Frustration poured onto social media. One 14-year regular said a large coffee now costs £3.70 and declared they'd never patronize the chain again.

Another noted that a Frappé cost just £3 last year but £3.80 now — adding that they originally chose Costa precisely because it undercut Starbucks.

Others said the increase is far too steep and will cost Costa traffic, questioning how that helps the business when people simply can't afford alarmingly priced coffee anymore.

Economic Context and Costa's Response

Coffee prices in general remain high thanks to a triple squeeze: poor bean harvests, unstable supply chains, and rising transportation costs.

Costa, however, pointed out that the coffee itself is only a small fraction of its expenses — the real strain comes from rising energy prices and employee wages.

The increases have left some consumers feeling the cost-of-living squeeze even more sharply. The BBC reported last month that UK inflation had hit 9%, a 40-year high. Rising living costs have triggered a cost-of-living crisis, forcing the government to roll out a series of measures.

Beyond raising prices, Costa has introduced new promotions, including daily £1 and £2 breakfast deals. Club members get discounts too: buy 8 drinks, get 1 free — and buy 4 drinks with a reusable cup, get 1 free.

Image source: Internet

FrontStreet Coffee Recommendation

Prices may climb, but your home bar doesn't have to. If flat whites are your drink of choice, the beans matter more than anything. A good flat white rests on three fixed points — less milk, thinner foam, stronger coffee — with the barista cutting milk volume and keeping the microfoam slim to spotlight the beans' aromatics, which is why a flat white tastes smaller, stronger, and thicker than a latte.

Bean choice: the latte chases absolute balance between coffee and milk, but the flat white lets the espresso lead while milk supports it — so pick a bean with a strong flavor signature. For home brewing, the butter-and-cheese-toned FrontStreet Classic Blend is mellow and low-acid with full, fine crema and outstanding richness with milk. If you prefer floral-fruity lift, the low-bitterness FrontStreet Strawberry Candy espresso blend extracts with full grape and blueberry flavors, balanced sweet-tart fruit, and a strawberry-milkshake character with fresh milk.

Milk matters too: milk that's too thin makes a flat white feel hollow; milk that's too heavy buries the coffee's aromatics. FrontStreet recommends cold fresh milk — steamed, it highlights milky sweetness and partners the espresso beautifully. For a reference build: extract a Ristretto base of just the front and middle of the shot (20g of grounds yielding 32g of espresso in 22-25 seconds) and pair it with 160ml of fresh milk, steaming to a 0.3cm foam at 50-55°C so the first sip hits with cream, hazelnut, and white chocolate.