Fairtrade calls for brands to be more transparent over their tea

A FIFTH of British adults think the tea they drink originates in the UK, research for Fairtrade has found as the organisation calls on brands to be more transparent about where their products come from.

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The research, carried out by consultancy Kantar, suggests widespread misconceptions persist around the origins of the country's beloved “cuppa”.

Almost all tea brewed in homes and cafes across the UK is imported from overseas, with most starting its journey in Kenya, followed by other countries like India and Malawi.

A small amount of tea can only be grown in specific microclimates in the UK, such as on the Tregothnan estate near Falmouth in Cornwall, with climate change making cultivation in more areas increasingly feasible.

But the survey of 1,365 British adults - taken between August 14 and 18 - found that 21% believe tea they drink originates in the UK, a figure which rises to 46% among those aged 25-34. The research also suggests that more than a third of UK adults (37%) believe most of their tea comes from India.