We’re the cuppa crust

Posh Twinings replaces old favourite PG Tips as UK’s bestselling tea

TWININGS has overtaken PG Tips for the first time to become Britain’s bestselling tea brand.

Customers’ increasing desire to switch to healthy herbal, green or caffeine-free brews has led to a major shift in the market, figures reveal.

Twinings, which started in 1706, has become the leading brand after sales rose by 3.9 per cent to £107.9 million in the 12 months to mid- July, according to analysts studying sales in the major supermarkets.

Sales of PG Tips – famous for Sixties and Seventies adverts featuring chimpanzees and a more recent campaign fronted by a knitted puppet monkey – dipped by 7.2 per cent to £98.7million over the same period.

Both brands have introduced new varieties and flavours, from herbal teas to blends that go best with dairy-free milk to appeal to the growing number of vegans. But PG Tips, launched in 1930, has seen the bigger sales decline in traditional builder’s tea.

Twinings Everyday Tea costs around £5 for 100 bags, or 5p a bag, while 80 PG Tips teabags cost £2.49, or 3.1p a bag.

The move towards more upmarket and healthier blends had provoked a wider market realignment, said market analysts Nielsen, who revealed the figures in trade journal The Grocer.

Twinings was boosted by £10.5million in sales of its Superblends and Cold Infuse lines – the latter being the first cold tea from a major manufacturer.

Tea expert and consultant Angela Pryce said: ‘That’s the way the market is going. When you look at the UK, it’s the biggest tea market in Europe.

‘Black tea remains our most popular tea type, and traditionally we have enjoyed quite strong teabag based black tea.

‘But over the last few years the volume of that type of tea has declined, and now green tea is huge, and growing, although from a smaller base. The brands that are prospering have innovated and are growing.

‘Drinking tea will stay in our culture but the changes are really down to health and convenience.’

The figures relate to sales from major supermarket chains but not discount stores.

The Grocer said: ‘ Diversifying into areas such as cold infusions and functional teas has paid off for Twinings. Meanwhile, PG Tips slumped below the £100million mark as it bore the brunt of the black tea decline.’