New Survey by Birchall Tea Reveals Surprising Gaps in Tea Knowledge

LONDON, Oct. 2, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- A new YouGov survey commissioned by Birchall Tea reveals that Brits may not know as much about their daily brew as they think. While 51% of UK adults drink tea daily, 55% are unaware that many mass-market tea bags contain dust and stalks instead of real tea leaves. Additionally, 1 in 5 Brits admit they've never actually looked inside their tea bags.

The YouGov survey, conducted with over 2,000 UK adults, also uncovered widespread confusion about where tea comes from - 87% of people don't realise Africa is the largest exporter of black tea, with some even believing it comes from Yorkshire.

This lack of knowledge has prompted Birchall Tea, known for its award-winning blends, to launch the #CheckYourBag campaign (YOUTUBE VIDEO). The initiative urges tea lovers to rip open their tea bags and take a closer look at what's inside. According to Birchall, it's time for the UK to wake up to the difference in quality between premium tea leaves and the lower-grade offerings that dominate the market.

With 77% of survey respondents prioritising taste when choosing their tea, Birchall is inviting people to see and taste the difference for themselves by comparing the contents of Birchall's Great Rift Breakfast Tea with the mass-market brands.

With tea as Britain's favourite beverage, the #CheckYourBag campaign could make people rethink their daily brew.

Key Survey Findings:

• 87% don't know that Africa is the world's largest exporter of black tea (10% thought it might even come from Yorkshire or elsewhere in the UK…)
• 55% are unaware their tea may contain tea dust and stalks, rather than real tea leaves.
• 1 in 5 adults (20%) have never looked inside a tea bag.
• 30% of those surveyed mistakenly identified mass market tea as wood chippings instead of actual tea leaves.

Editor's note:

All figures, unless otherwise stated, are from YouGov Plc. Total sample size was 2108 adults. Fieldwork was undertaken between 31st July - 1st August 2024. The survey was carried out online. The figures have been weighted and are representative of all UK adults (aged 18+).

Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qS2K29kBnic
Photo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2521679/Birchall_Tea.jpg