Overnight, we advised that due to the England National Football Team (Men’s) failure to reach the World Cup Final this Sunday, and instead being forced to play the French National Football Team (Men’s, assuming not on strike), there has been reports of increased tea hoarding in order to both ‘drown one’s sorrows’, and ensure a suitable cure for any hangover based emergency. 

After thorough investigations, including ‘spot checks’* at local convenience stores, supermarkets and petrol stations across Great Britain and Northern Ireland, we can confirm that there is no current threat to the continuous supply of tea. It seems that many individuals and families in England, in a state of disbelief and sorrow have managed to ‘summon’ packets of tea in a feat not seen since the Room of Requirement in the Harry Potter Franchise. Many of these tea bags were stockpiled during the COVID-19 pandemic, and unlike much of the PPE contracts of the time, are still safe to use.

We believe in supporting TooGoodToGo’s ‘Look, Smell, Taste’ campaign to avoid unnecessary tea wastage. Even though tea comes with a best before date, correct storage and unnecessary access to sunlight and moisture will extend the shelf life of your tea to a potentially infinite level of time. We suggest making a ‘test brew’, utilising a randomly selected tea bag from your stockpile, adding accompaniments as usual, and noting any changes to the quality of the finished product to normal. In the event there is no change, then your tea bags are safe to use. If they are a bit stale, perhaps reserve them for when your Aunt-In-Law next visits with her children unannounced.          

Please rest assured that there is NO further need to stockpile, as adequate supplies of tea remain within the realm of Great Britain and Northern Ireland. We shall of course keep you abreast of the situation should anything change.