The perfect cuppa: supermarket own brand tea bags beat branded favourites

A surprise supermarket winner has beaten the UK’s biggest tea brands in Which?’s taste test to find the nation’s favourite cuppa.

The consumer champion assembled a panel of 79 experienced and committed tea drinkers, who blind-tasted 12 different teas from supermarkets including Asda, Sainsbury’s and Tesco, alongside big brands PG Tips, Tetley, Twinings and Yorkshire Tea.

Perhaps unsurprisingly in a country famed for its love of tea, competition for the top spot was fierce and there was only five per cent separating the score of the winner from those at the bottom of the list.

Asda’s Everyday Tea Bags (£1.20 for 80 bags) nabbed the top spot, along with Which?’s Best Buy and Great Value endorsements, with an impressive score of 72 per cent. The panel gave it high marks for aroma and appearance, with more than two-thirds (68%) judging the colour as spot-on. Flavour-wise, around half (49%) found it just right.

Following closely behind with a score of 71 per cent was PG Tips Original (£3 for 80 bags). 

More than two thirds (68%) felt the colour was just how a cup of tea should look, while a similar proportion were satisfied with the strength of bitterness.

Tetley Original (£2.50 for 80 bags) also scored 71 per cent. The tasters thought the tea looked good, had a pleasant mouthfeel and an enticing aroma while more than half (54%) said it had a good strength of flavour. It struck the right bitter note for 59 per cent of the panel, though 27 per cent said it was too bitter for their taste.

Sainsbury’s Red Label (£1.25 for 80 bags) also received the same score. Three quarters (76%) of the panel liked the colour of this tea and it scored well on both aroma and mouthfeel.

Four brands received a score of 70 per cent. Aldi’s Diplomat Red Label (£1.85 for 160 bags), Co-op’s 99 Blend Fairtrade Tea (£1.45 for 80 bags), Waitrose Essential Original Blend Tea Bags (£1.25 per 80 bags) and Taylors of Harrogate Yorkshire Tea (£3.30 for 80 bags).

For Yorkshire Tea, half of the panel were happy with the strength of flavour but a third (32%) wanted it stronger. 61 per cent said bitterness levels were just right.

Tied at the bottom of the table were Twinings Everyday and Tesco Original Tea, with a score of 67 per cent. 

At £4.80 per 80 bags, Twinings cost four times the price of Asda’s winning offering. While more than 60 per cent liked the colour and bitterness level of Twinings, fewer than half were satisfied with the strength of flavour.

While two thirds of the panel relished the bitterness level of Tesco Original, a third said it was too dark (35%) and not strong enough (34%).

Natalie Hitchins, Which? Head of Home Products and Services, said:

“A cup of tea is a daily essential for millions and many of us will passionately defend our favourite brand. 

“Our results show that the bigger and more expensive brands aren't necessarily the best for taste - with a supermarket own-brand costing less than 2p per cup emerging ahead of rivals costing up to four times as much.

“The scores demonstrate that brands and supermarkets know you can’t get a sub-standard cuppa past a nation of discerning tea drinkers - but Which? has proved that you don’t need to spend a lot for a good brew.”

ENDS

Notes to Editors

How we tested tea bags

The tea bags were tested in August 2024 by a panel of consumers who regularly buy and consume tea. The make-up of the panel broadly represents the demographic profile of adults in the UK. 

Each tea was assessed by 79 people. The tasters rated the taste, mouthfeel, aroma and appearance of each and told us what they liked and disliked about each one. 

The taste test was blind, so our testers didn’t know which brand they were trying. The order in which they tasted the tea was fully rotated to avoid any bias. Each person had a private booth, so they couldn’t discuss what they were tasting or be influenced by others.

The overall score was based on:

50% flavour

20% appearance

20% aroma

10% mouthfeel

These weightings are based on how consumers rank the importance of different attributes of tea.

Price and availability checked 30 August 2024 . Price per tea bag rounded up or down to the nearest penny and based on 80 bag packs where available. Cheaper deals may be available on larger pack sizes.

About Which?

Which? is the UK’s consumer champion, here to make life simpler, fairer and safer for everyone. Our research gets to the heart of consumer issues, our advice is impartial, and our rigorous product tests lead to expert recommendations. We’re the independent consumer voice that influences politicians and lawmakers, investigates, holds businesses to account and makes change happen. As an organisation we’re not for profit and all for making consumers more powerful.