Britons may have to brace themselves for a shortage of tea, due to disruption of trade routes linked to Houthi attacks on ships in the Red Sea.
Retail giant Sainsbury’s has warned shoppers that there are “nationwide” problems that could affect the availability of the nation’s beloved product.
A sign in one Sainsbury’s store read: “We are experiencing supply issues affecting the nationwide supply of black tea. We apologise for any inconvenience and hope to be back in full supply soon.”
Whilst the supermarket confirmed it was an “industry-wide issue”, they stressed that the problems are temporary and should not significantly impact customers.
Despite this, supply chain experts have said that prices could increase as a result of the reduced volume of stock.
Andrew Opie, director of food and sustainability at the British Retail Consortium, said: “There is temporary disruption to some black tea lines, but the impact on consumers will be minimal as retailers are not expecting significant challenges.”
The disruption is understood to be related to Houthi attacks on vessels in the Red Sea, which has caused most shipping firms using the trade route to redirect their shipments.
The new route, which instead sends products through Cape of Good Hope at the foot of Africa, adds approximately 14 days to the journey.
GB News has reached out to Sainsbury’s for comment.
More to follow…
