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Are rising costs just a storm in a teacup?
A relaxing cuppa could be facing a steep price rise because of a global shortage in raw tea ingredients.
Research by a national consumer magazine says shoppers have so far been sheltered from the price hike and it is supermarkets which are dealing with the rise, but soon the cost increase could be passed on to tea drinkers.
Because of the shortage, tea from Kenya has become 21 per cent more expensive than at this time last year, while Sri Lankan tea has increased by a quarter.
Both countries have been hit by supply shortages and the situation is expected to get worse over the coming months because of heatwaves and a lack of rain.
But Rob Medhurst, who runs coffee shop Cortado in Montagu Street, Kettering, says he has not yet felt the impact of the shortage yet.
North Northamptonshire has lots of locations where you can get a great cup of tea. They include:
The Dovecote Buttery in Newton
Cortado in Montagu Street, Kettering
Piccadilly Classics in Market Place, Kettering
Beans in Oundle
Tasty Bite Victorian Tea Shoppe in Thrapston
Cafe Mozart in Wood Street, Corby.
He said: "We put our prices up earlier in the year so if there is a price rise in tea it will probably be absorbed in that.
"We sell a variety of types of tea and it depends on what is in vogue as to what we sell most of.
"After Christmas most people are on detox so they tend to buy green tea, but the English breakfast is always popular.
"We have searched long and hard for the best tea because we know it is important to people.
"Over the last few years, with the current economic crisis, coffee shops have been expanding more into teas."
Jonny Coxell, of Lewis Road, Kettering, said: "I don't think it would put me off drinking tea if the price went up a bit.
"Everything else is going up in price anyway, so you kind of expect it. So long as it doesn't go up really steeply I can't see me not buying teabags because a cup of tea is part of my morning routine.
"I am useless before I have my morning cup of tea."
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Weather for Kettering
Monday 13 February 2012
Today
Cloudy
Temperature: 2 C to 7 C
Wind Speed: 20 mph
Wind direction: North west
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