Which? taste tests have revealed that supermarket own-label teabags can outperform Britain's most beloved household names, with the winning brews costing just 2p per cup compared with 5p for the leading name brand.
Consumer champions Which? assembled a panel of 67 tea enthusiasts and compared major brands including PG Tips, Tetley and Yorkshire Tea with supermarket offerings from Asda, Lidl, Waitrose, Sainsbury's, Tesco and others.
Jessica Carson, Which? taste test expert, said: "Given how much many of us drink tea, costs can quickly rack up. Our blind taste test pitted household names against supermarket teabags, with the winning brew coming in at 2p per cup versus 5p for the leading name brand."
Best everyday tea
Sainsbury's, Waitrose and Co-op teas were the highest-rated Best Buys. Which? said they are also "great value" and rank amongst the most economical teas tested, all priced at roughly 2p per teabag.
Sainsbury's Red Label scored 75%. Nearly two thirds of taste testers said they would gladly make Sainsbury's their go-to tea. The tea's appearance and scent received high marks, with over two thirds approving of how it looked in the cup. More than half deemed its strength of flavour spot on, while its slightly bitter undertone appealed to most palates as well. It costs less than half the price of Tetley and Yorkshire, making it an affordable alternative.
Waitrose Essential Original Blend also scored 75%. Priced similarly to the Sainsbury's offering, these bags earned strong praise. Two-thirds of tasters would be content to drink it daily, and it looked "just right". Its texture on the palate also scored highly. The level of bitterness and overall taste won over the majority of participants.
Co-op and Morrisons impress
Co-op Fairtrade 99 Tea Blend scored 74%. Attractive appearance and an appealing aroma helped Co-op's tea win over plenty of admirers. Three quarters said they would happily drink it every day, with over half declaring the flavour was spot on. An impressive two thirds felt the bitterness was perfectly balanced.
Morrisons Everyday Tea scored 73%. More than half of tasters would choose this tea for daily drinking, though around half felt it was slightly lacking in strength. That said, the other half considered the flavour well-judged. If you favour a gentler brew, Morrisons could be ideal for you.
How the named brands fared
Yorkshire Tea (Taylors of Harrogate) scored 72%. At 5p per bag, this is the priciest tea on the list, yet it achieved the highest scores amongst the named brands. Half of those who sampled it enjoyed the flavour and bitterness, though nearly a third felt it was too bitter. That said, well over half of tasters would happily drink it every day. Yorkshire Tea may be the costliest on test, but it topped the overall scores among the three branded teas, boasting a satisfyingly rich colour and an inviting aroma.
Lidl Knightsbridge Red Label scored 71%. The most affordable bags on test proved popular, demonstrating that you needn't spend a fortune on a big-name brand to enjoy a decent brew. Six out of 10 tasters would be perfectly happy making it their go-to daily cuppa.
Asda Everyday Tea Bags scored 70%. A decent enough tea that looked the part, but nearly half of tasters found the flavour somewhat underwhelming. At the same price as the Sainsbury's offering, you might be better off opting for something with a bit more taste.
PG Tips Original scored 70%. The majority of tasters appreciated the bitterness of this tea, and its appearance was considered attractive.
Tetley Original scored 70%. Two-thirds approved of its colour and around half were won over by its flavour, with most giving the bitterness levels the thumbs up.
M&S Everyday Tea scored 68%. An attractive colour, but well under half of tasters warmed to the flavour.
Tesco Original Tea scored 67%. Bitterness received a solid rating, with half enjoying it, though fewer tasters were impressed by the overall flavour.
