Don’t panic, there isn’t a shortage of tea, suppliers were insisting today after reports Sainsbury’s was running short of Britain’s favourite beverage due to Red Sea disruption.
Reports spread like wildfire after one Sainsbury’s outlet said it was experiencing “issues” affecting the supply of black tea.
Andrew Opie, director of food and sustainability at the British Retail Consortium, said: "There is temporary disruption to some black tea lines, but the impact on consumers will be minimal as retailers are not expecting significant challenges."
Suppliers said it was taking around two weeks longer than previously for supplies to arrive due to ships being re-routed away from the Red Sea due to Houthi rebel attacks.
Tetley, owned by Indian conglomerate Tata, is the UK’s largest tea brand.
In a statement, it said it hoped to meet normal demand but stocks were much "tighter" than normal due to the transport issues.
A spokeswoman told the BBC: "At the moment it's much tighter than we would like it to be but we're pretty confident we can maintain supply levels.
The United Kingdom Tea & Infusions Association (UKTIA) told the broadcaster its members were reporting good stocks.
Sharon Hall, chief executive, said: "Shoppers should not be concerned; their favourite tea brands will continue to be available."
Shares in Associated British Foods, which owns Twinings, another leading UK brand, were down 1.2% at 2,237p.