The cost of a cup of tea could rise by up to 40 per cent due to a shortage in Kenya, warn experts.
Kenyan crops have been damaged by a drought, meaning harvests have been 12 per cent smaller than the predicted yield this year.
In turn, this will push up the price of ingredients.
If supermarkets and other retailers decide to increase prices, it means that a box of 60 teabags will go from £2.60 up to £3.64.
Read more: 30 afternoon tea ideas
According to market researcher Mintec, these price hikes could affect the UK for the next six months.
In their report, they stated that ‘unfavourable temperatures and precipitation levels are likely to slow down the pace of harvest volumes within the next few months.’
Speaking to The Sun, Mintec market analyst Anais Divanach said: 'It is likely that only if the demand level outstrips supply volume from exporting countries after 2019, the market could see consumer prices impacted on shelves.'
Kenya produces more than half of the tea consumed by us Brits, with both branded and unbranded blends making an appearance on our supermarket shelves.
Because of the huge demand, it’s no surprise that global prices are expected to rise to compensate for this. As the drought continues, it’s going to have a knock-on effect.
There is a chance this price increase can be avoided, if supermarkets decide to split the cost across other products, since they’re able to set their own prices across ranges.
Manufacturers can also choose to change supplier, replacing it with cheaper alternatives and keeping prices down for customers. The problem is, other countries are pushing up prices due to insufficient stock to meet the current demand.
Whilst it’s unclear what will happen to our favourite tea brands over the next few months, it might be a good idea to stock up whilst prices are still low.
