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%).
