Millions of extra cups of tea are expected to be drunk by nervous parents awaiting their children's GCSE results, according to a survey by Yorkshire Tea.
The research claims two in five (40%) parents will reach for multiple brews as results land, with one in ten knocking back at least four extra cups to steady their nerves. With hundreds of thousands of students set to receive their results, the Yorkshire-based tea experts believe more cups of tea could be drunk than on any other day of the year.
Kettles working overtime
Kettles could be working overtime, with more than a third (38%) of parents saying a proper cup of tea is the best way to keep a lid on their Results Day jitters. The research also revealed almost half of parents (44%) believe 'Shall we put the kettle on?' is a better way to break the ice while discussing what their children's results were.
Further findings suggest hundreds of thousands of families will celebrate with a cup of tea too, with 39% of parents saying they would rather toast their child's results with a proper brew than an alcoholic drink.
Advice from Yorkshire Tea
Penny Webster, brand manager at Yorkshire Tea, said: “The stress and anticipation of results day is enough to bring the whole family to boiling point so it's no surprise that kettles will be working overtime this week.
“Before asking about grades, offering to put the kettle on and making a proper brew can give everyone a moment to gather themselves before properly digesting the results, whether they've gone the way you hoped, or not. And whatever is written on that results sheet, we'll be sure to be there to support the nation's families on GCSE results day.”
How to make a proper cup of tea
With millions of extra cups to be drunk, Yorkshire Tea has reminded parents how to make a proper cup of tea by following five simple but important steps.
Step 1: Treat your water kindly. Penny said: "Run the tap a little so the water's nicely aerated and only boil it once to keep the oxygen level up. Oxygen in water helps flavour!"
Step 2: Add tea and water. Penny said: "Pop a tea bag into your mug, pour over the hot water and stir briefly."
Step 3: Wait patiently. Penny said: "Tea needs time to unlock all its flavour, so give it 4-5 minutes to do its thing. This is a perfect time to munch a sneaky biscuit or daydream about holidays."
Step 4: Give it a squeeze. Penny said: "Before removing the tea bag, gently squidge it against the side of the mug. Just the once, mind – if you really mash it, it'll taste bitter."
Step 5: Customise your brew. Penny said: "We like a splash of semi-skimmed or whole milk, but your brew is unique to you – so add milk, sugar, honey, lemon or nothing at all. Most importantly, enjoy!"
