Study finds wide caffeine variations in UK high street coffee drinks

A new analysis by consumer group Which? has revealed significant variations in caffeine content across popular hot drinks from major UK high street coffee chains, with one beverage containing the equivalent of four cans of Red Bull. The research, published on August 25, 2026, found that a medium cappuccino from Costa Coffee contains 325mg of caffeine, far exceeding the levels in similar drinks from competitors. The study examined drinks including espressos, cappuccinos, filter coffees, flat whites, americanos, and matcha lattes from Caffè Nero, Costa, Greggs, Pret a Manger, and Starbucks. Costa's medium cappuccino topped the list for caffeine, with 325mg per serving.