Coffee shops; ECONOMY.

Coffee shops may be the latest victims of the credit crunch as people swap takeaway coffee for home-made cuppas, figures revealed yesterday.

A report from supermarket Morrisons shows sales of their instant latte have increased by 40 per cent since this time last year and cappuccino sales have risen by 18 per cent.

While the coffee crunch may force Brits to drink-in at home rather than takeaway in the high street, they are not prepared to compromise on taste - Morrisons figures show a 13 per cent rise in specialist coffee as a whole.

Sales of speciality teabags have also been driven up by six per cent.

Martyn Jones, Morrisons' group trading director, said: "Brits are not willing to ditch their mkorning cuppa, but takeaway coffees can really stretch the purse strings.

"Savvy-shoppers are looking for ways to cut back, and this is one way."

CAPTION(S):

Pavement artist Manfred Stader creates a giant 3D coffee cup in London's Covent Garden Piazza