Figures reveal that demand for teapots has halved over the past five years. At the same time, with 165 million cups of tea consumed in the UK every single day, demand for mugs has trebled, indicating that more people than ever are making their tea in the vessel they drink it from.
Debenhams, which sells nearly five million cups of tea in its restaurants and cafes each year, is fighting back by launching a Campaign for Civilised Tea Drinking. Tea is served in stores in a teapot, with a cup and saucer – the traditional British way to take it.
Liz Brewer, social etiquette expert, said: “Tea is the most quintessential of English drinks, and the act of tea drinking has long been one of the greatest British traditions. We must preserve the custom which, for centuries, has been the hallmark of polite society – tea served in a teapot before being poured into china cups.”
Alison Hill, head of home design, said: “We know that people have busy lives and so often find it easier to use a tea bag in a mug. However, at the same time, we don’t want to see an essential element of British society disappear because of expediency.
“While using high quality tealeaves provides drinkers with probably the ultimate cup of tea, we’re also recommending using teabags in a teapot. The great British ceremony of making a pot of tea is infinitely adaptable.”
As part of their campaign, Debenhams is designing a new “non spill” teapot. A special lid prevents the hot liquid from cascading over the side – one of the most common complaints faults in many teapot designs.
Source: Debenhams
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