How Many Bathtubs of Coffee/Tea Does a British Worker Drink?

A British Online Recruitment site reported on a study this week about the on-the-job drinking habits of Brits. The study set out to examine caffeinated beverage drinking, in particular, during the workday.

It was found that the average British worker drinks four cups of coffee or tea a day. The reason they drink hot drinks was mostly, according to 58%, out of habit. Another 36% said it was to socialize with others during short breaks away from their desks. More than one fifth thought it improved their job performance, and 41% reported it helps them stay alert during the workday. Only 22% drink caffeinated beverages at home.

The rest of the article involved playing with statistics. Calculating years and ages worked and liters in four cups daily, it was determined that on average, a British worker drinks almost 48,000 cups, the equivalent of sixty 53-gallon bathtubs at work over their career.

Why bathtubs? Is it easy to picture 60 bathtubs? Is that the old fashioned claw-foot tub, an oval, round or triangular modern tub, or a modern Jacuzzi tub? But what size exactly is a 53-gallon tub? It’s far easier to picture a swimming pool. I did the math and came up with an above ground rectangular pool, 10’ by 13’ by 4’ deep. Now that’s a picture you can understand.

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