Popular Teabag Brands Contain Harmful Microplastics, Study Reveals

Popular Teabag Brands Found to Contain Harmful Microplastics

A shocking new analysis reveals that most popular teabag brands in the UK contain microplastics, despite many claiming to be ‘plastic-free’. Of 28 major brands tested by consumer group Which?, only four were found to be genuinely free from plastic materials.

Key Findings

Only 4 out of 28 teabag brands tested were truly plastic-free
Popular brands like PG Tips, Tetley, Typhoo and Yorkshire Tea contain plant-based bioplastics
Supermarket own-brands from Aldi, Tesco, Sainsbury’s and others also contained plastics
Heat from brewing tea may increase microplastic release and absorption

A cup of tea in the morning might be the perfect way to start the day, but a new study warns that many of the UK’s favourite teabag brands could be filling your brew with harmful microplastics (stock image)

The PLA Problem

While many brands have moved away from traditional polypropylene plastic, most have simply replaced it with polylactic acid (PLA) – a plant-derived bioplastic. Although marketed as biodegradable, PLA still releases microplastic particles when exposed to hot water during tea brewing.

“PLA is technically classed as a plastic, but it’s plant-based and biodegradable,” a Clipper spokesperson told MailOnline, though the company has since removed ‘plastic-free’ claims from packaging.

PG Tips (left), Tetley, Typhoo, and Yorkshire Tea teabags all contained a plant–derived bioplastic called polylactic acid (PLA). Of the 28 brands analysed, only Pukka (right), Hampstead, Dragonfly, and Twinings were truly plastic free

Which Brands Are Affected?

The investigation found PLA in teabags from numerous popular brands and supermarket own-brands including:

PG Tips Original
Tetley (black and herbal varieties)
Typhoo
Yorkshire Tea
Teapigs
Clipper
All major supermarket own-brands

Safe Alternatives

Consumers looking to avoid microplastics can choose from these genuinely plastic-free brands:

Pukka
Hampstead
Dragonfly (string and tag varieties only)
Twinings (string and tag varieties only)

Health Concerns

Recent research from Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona revealed alarming findings – a single teabag can release billions of microplastic particles into your drink. These particles are small enough to enter the bloodstream and even penetrate cell nuclei.

This comes after scientists from Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona warned that a single tea bag can release billions of dangerous microplastics (pictured) into your body

Animal studies have shown that PLA ingestion can cause:

Intestinal damage
Oxidative stress
DNA damage
Gut microbiome disruption
Liver metabolic disturbances

While research on human health impacts is ongoing, experts warn that microplastics can cause inflammation, immune responses, and act as carriers for other toxins in the body.

Which? has contacted affected brands for comment, while Daily Mail has approached Brew Tea Company, Tetley, and Clipper for their responses to these concerning findings.