The Irish public are known for their love of tea (true, shouts the WW team!). A box of teabags is a kitchen cupboard essential in households across Ireland, but what many people might not know is that deciding what tea brand to drink not only impacts the tea’s taste, it also has an impact on the planet too.

Shoppers can rest assured that by choosing Lyons Tea, they are helping to do better for the environment. Since Lyons Tea has become the first major Irish black tea brand to switch its retail range to be completely plant-based, 50 tonnes of non-biodegradable plastic have already been saved. That is the equivalent of 10 million standard sized plastic carrier bags.

The news that Lyons Tea has now made its retail range plant-based and biodegradable is sure to be warmly received by shoppers, as most are united in wanting to lead more sustainable lives. According to an independent study of 1,000 adults conducted by iReach Insights in August 2020, almost three quarters (73%) of shoppers dispose of their tea bags into a brown (food waste) bin at home, despite Lyons Tea’s retail range being the only tea bags that can be composted. Alternative black tea bags contain small amounts of plastic which cannot be composted.

Gill Irvine, Marketing Director, Lyons Tea said: ‘Research shows that there is a high level of eco-consciousness amongst all adult generations and that 32% of shoppers would be more likely to buy biodegradable tea bags as they have a better impact on the environment. At Lyons Tea, we recognise our responsibility to align with what shoppers want and become more environmentally friendly while continuing to deliver the same great taste that people expect from us.

Since we have been able to offer a fully biodegradable plant based, ‘greener’ cup of tea than the rest, a significant 50 tonnes of tea bag waste have been saved, which shows the difference tea brands can make to the planet. I call on other tea brands in Ireland to follow suit and share our commitment to protecting the world around us’.

For more information on Lyons Tea’s plant based and biodegradable tea range, visit www.lyonstea.ie, Lyons Tea on Facebook or @lyons_tea on Twitter and @lyons.tea on Instagram.