12 Tea Brands in Australia to AVOID — Only 3 Are Actually Real Tea

Summary

The video argues that tea branding, heritage, and high prices are poor guides to taste or value. It draws mainly on CHOICE’s blind test of 32 supermarket black teas, alongside product labels, prices, ownership information, and research on particles released by tea bags. The test was conducted without milk, so the rankings may not match every viewer’s preferences.

Products to think twice about

In CHOICE’s test, Woolworths Essentials scored 55%, while Coles tea bags scored 73% at roughly the same price—about 2 cents per bag. Aldi Diplomat teas scored 50%; the video contrasts these with Aldi Just Organic, the test’s top scorer. Tetley All Rounder also scored 50%, although Tetley Extra Strong performed better.

The video criticizes Madura Premium Blend for scoring 45% at a relatively high price. It notes that Madura is an Australian tea company, but says this blend uses local and imported tea. Madura English Breakfast scored higher, at 63%. Bushells Extra Strong scored 53%, and its Woolworths listing says it is packed in the United Arab Emirates using imported tea.

The video also notes that Bushells, Lipton, PG Tips, and T2 became part of Lipton Teas and Infusions after Unilever sold most of its tea business to CVC Capital Partners in 2022.

Several products are criticized for being something other than straightforward black tea:

• Twinings tea latte sachets list milk powder and sweeteners ahead of tea, which the video says makes them mostly a sweetened milk drink.
• Twinings Cold Infusions contain fruit and herbal ingredients but no Camellia sinensis tea, according to the listed ingredients.
• Lipton peach iced tea is described as mostly water, with 4% black tea extract, 0.1% peach juice, and significant sugar.

Among premium-priced products, T2 English Breakfast scored 66% at about 52 cents per bag, compared with Coles tea at about 2 cents per bag and a higher score. None of the seven Twinings classic black teas in the test reached CHOICE’s 70% recommended threshold; their scores ranged from 46% to 63%. PG Tips Original scored 47% and cost about 15 cents per bag.

The video also recounts allegations reported by the BBC about sexual abuse on Kenyan tea plantations linked to major tea companies. Lipton Teas and Infusions said it suspended two managers and commissioned an investigation.

Finally, Queen Victoria English Breakfast and its Strong version came last and second-last in the test, scoring 42% and 36%, respectively, despite costing about 11 cents per bag.

Other concerns and buying advice

The video cites a McGill University study that found a plastic tea bag brewed at 95°C released billions of micro- and nanoparticles. It also discusses a 2024 study from the Autonomous University of Barcelona on particles released by polypropylene, nylon, and cellulose tea bags, while noting that the long-term health effects remain unknown. PLA, often marketed as plant-based, is still a type of plastic and may require industrial composting.

Tea is a non-priority food under Australian country-of-origin labelling rules, so shoppers may need to check small-print origin information rather than rely on Australian-looking packaging. The video’s practical advice is to read the ingredient list, check country of origin, and compare prices per bag. It suggests avoiding bags made with materials such as nylon, polypropylene, or PLA if seeking to reduce plastic exposure.

Recommended options

The video’s three preferred choices are:

• Coles tea bags: scored 73% at about 2 cents per bag.
• Aldi Just Organic Black Tea: scored 81%, the highest result in the test, at about 6 cents per bag.
• Nerada Single Origin Black Tea: scored 70% at about 3 cents per bag; the video describes it as Australian-grown and made.

The video also gives Tetley Extra Strong (73%) and Lipton Quality Black Tea (70%) as honorable mentions. Its main conclusion is that blind-test results favor some low-cost supermarket teas over many famous or premium brands.

Presenter and contributors

The video is narrated by one unnamed presenter; no other presenters or on-camera contributors are identified. Sources cited include CHOICE, McGill University researchers, researchers at the Autonomous University of Barcelona, and BBC investigations.