teapots cups and saucers tea bags and mugs

Teapot sales in Britain tanking

LONDON, April 3 (UPI) -- Although steeped in tradition, the British are buying just one-third of the number of teapots they did five years ago, while tea bags and mugs gain favor. The Tea Council said that 96 percent of tea consumed in Britain is brewed from tea bags and sales of teapots have plummeted by two-thirds in five years, The Telegraph reported. In 2000, the retail Tesco chain sold nearly 20 styles of teapot, while today it has five and sales have dropped by 62 percent over the same period. Sales of cups and saucers have also fallen by 85 percent since 2001. Edward Bramah, 74, the founder of London's Bramah Museum of Tea and Coffee, said people who are too impatient to wait for a traditional 5-minute brew in a teapot are missing out. "Orthodox tea has flavor and is delectable and delicious," he said. "It is true that the British have this great history involving tea, but today I would suggest that the British don't know anything about tea." © Copyright 2006 United Press International, Inc. All Rights Reserved