UK tea crisis looms as Red Sea pirate attacks disrupt international shipping routes
Previously, we reported on the actions of Houthi fighters. These attackers, who openly show their support for Iran, have initiated numerous strikes against targets in Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates. Their hostile actions have also been directed towards Western civilizations.
3:22 AM EST, February 14, 2024
In the past, transporting goods from Asia and East Africa to Europe mostly occurred via the Suez Canal. Ships carrying tea from major producers like China, India, Sri Lanka, and Kenya, contributing to around 3/4 of the world's total tea production, also had to navigate through the Red Sea.
The Red Sea is now dominated by the Houthis. Their growing influence has severely disrupted intercontinental maritime transport to Europe.
The Houthi's threatening presence has forced shipowners to reroute all traffic around Africa's Cape of Good Hope—a safer but significantly longer route. As a result, ships take an average of two weeks longer to make their journeys compared to the time taken when traveling through the Suez Canal.
This rerouting has had a noticeable effect on tea deliveries to the UK. To clarify, shortages are becoming increasingly apparent in local stores.
In response to the Sky News inquiry, Sainsbury's states: "We are experiencing problems with deliveries, which are affecting our nationwide supply of black tea. We apologize for any inconvenience and hope to return to full delivery capacity soon."
Given the seriousness of the situation and the UK's love for tea, there's cause for concern. The UK Tea & Infusions Association reports that the UK consumes about 100 million cups of tea daily. This amounts to nearly 36 billion cups per year.
"There have been temporary interruptions in the delivery of some types of black tea. However, we expect the consequences for consumers to be minimal, as retailers anticipate no major disruptions to their supplies," reassures Andrew Opie, the Director of Food & Sustainable Development at the British Retail Consortium.
