Comparison · Tea
PG Tips vs Tetley: blend, bag and price compared
Britain's two big everyday tea bags compared on what the brands say about their blends, brewing time, bags, decaf and price per bag, with UK prices checked 3 Oct 2026.
PG Tips vs Tetley is the classic British supermarket tea question, and on price alone there’s almost nothing in it: both were £3.00 for 80 bags at Morrisons, checked 3 Oct 2026. The real differences are in how long each brand tells you to brew, what they say about their blends and which pack sizes you can buy. We haven’t tested this in person. We can’t tell you which tastes better; this comparison is built from the brands’ own pages and Morrisons’ listings. Read how we compare.
For a wider view of everyday black tea alongside green, herbal and decaf, see our tea comparison page.
PG Tips vs Tetley: the short answer
Choose PG Tips if you like a quick cup. The PG Tips listing at Morrisons says it’s best brewed for one to two minutes, and the brand describes its Original blend as made with leaves from high-altitude gardens on the equator.
Who it isn’t for: anyone hoping to buy the old pyramid bags. PG Tips stopped making them in 2023, as the Science Museum Group’s record of one of the last boxes explains.
Choose Tetley if you like to leave the bag in for a stronger brew, or you want the cheaper big decaf pack. Tetley’s own guide suggests three to five minutes, and its 160-bag decaf was the cheapest decaf per bag of the two on 3 Oct 2026.
Who it isn’t for: anyone who wants to know exactly where the tea comes from. Tetley’s product page describes its black tea as Rainforest Alliance Certified but doesn’t name origins.
Blend: what each brand says
PG Tips says its Master Blenders use leaves from high-altitude gardens on the equator for PG Tips Original. It also sells PG Tips Gold, described by the brand as a blend of Rwandan, Kenyan and Assam tea. The brand was founded by Arthur Brooke in 1930, and it says it was the first UK tea brand to achieve Rainforest Alliance certification.
Tetley says it has been blending tea since 1837 and calls its Original a well-rounded everyday blend with a robust flavour. Its product page says the bags contain 100% Rainforest Alliance Certified black tea. Tetley also sells an Extra Strong blend (£3.95 for 75 bags at Morrisons, checked 3 Oct 2026) if the Original isn’t punchy enough.
Who it isn’t for: anyone who wants single-origin tea. Both are blends designed for consistency, not provenance.
Bags and brewing time
This is where they differ most in the brands’ own guidance:
- PG Tips: one to two minutes, according to the Morrisons listing for the 80-bag box. PG Tips moved from pyramid bags back to square bags in 2023, according to the Science Museum Group, with a new blend made for modern tea-making habits.
- Tetley: three to five minutes in freshly boiled water, depending on how strong you like it, according to Tetley’s brewing guide.
Both brands say their bags break down. PG Tips’ brand page says its tea bags are biodegradable. Tetley’s site calls its bags plant-based and biodegradable, and its Morrisons listing says they can go in your food waste bin. Check your council’s rules, as food waste collections vary.
If your tea always looks murky, the water may be the problem rather than the bag. Our guide to the best tea for hard water explains more.
Who it isn’t for: anyone who wants to compost bags at home without checking. “Biodegradable” doesn’t always mean a home compost heap will break it down quickly.
Price per bag at Morrisons
All prices from Morrisons, checked 3 Oct 2026. Per-bag figures are rounded.
| Pack | PG Tips Original | Tetley Original |
|---|---|---|
| 40 bags | £2.25 (5.6p) | £1.80 (4.5p) |
| 80 bags | £3.00 (3.75p) | £3.00 (3.75p) |
| 160 bags | £5.00 (3.1p) | £4.95 (3.1p) |
| 240 bags | £6.25 (2.6p) | Check price at Morrisons |
| 400 bags | £9.75 (2.4p) | £9.00 (2.25p) |
PG Tips Original also comes in 210 bags; check price at Morrisons.
At the 80- and 160-bag sizes, the two are effectively the same price. Tetley was cheaper on the smallest and largest packs. See PG Tips 80 at Morrisons or Tetley 80 at Morrisons.
Who it isn’t for: anyone who only buys the 40-bag box. It’s the worst value per bag for both brands.
Decaf versions
Both brands sell decaf. At Morrisons, checked 3 Oct 2026:
- PG Tips Decaf: £3.50 for 70 bags (5p a bag) or £6.00 for 160 (3.75p a bag).
- Tetley Decaf: £2.00 for 40, £3.70 for 80 (4.6p a bag), £9.00 for 300 (3p a bag); check price at Morrisons for the 160 pack.
We don’t give caffeine figures for either decaf, because neither brand states one on the pages we checked.
Who it isn’t for: anyone who wants a decaf in a small pack at a good price. The smallest decaf boxes cost noticeably more per bag.
Downsides
- Taste is personal. Neither brand publishes anything that lets us say one is “stronger” in a measurable way.
- Prices change. Supermarket tea prices move often, so check price at Morrisons on the day.
- Old information is everywhere. Lots of pages still describe PG Tips pyramid bags, which ended in 2023.
Where to go next
- Want something a step up? See our guide to the best English Breakfast tea.
- Comparing the other big name? Read Twinings vs Yorkshire Tea.
FAQ
Is PG Tips or Tetley cheaper? At Morrisons on 3 Oct 2026, both were £3.00 for 80 bags. Tetley was cheaper on 40- and 400-bag packs.
Does PG Tips still use pyramid bags? No. According to the Science Museum Group, PG Tips stopped making pyramid bags in 2023 and moved to square bags.
How long should you brew PG Tips and Tetley? The PG Tips listing at Morrisons says one to two minutes; Tetley’s guide says three to five minutes.
Can PG Tips and Tetley bags go in food waste? Tetley’s Morrisons listing says its plant-based bags can go in your food waste bin, and PG Tips says its bags are biodegradable. Check your council’s rules.