Tesco is to give away tea and biscuits at 252 stores across the UK this week in an effort to revive the traditional British tea break and lift sales.

The grocer said that the credit crunch presents the perfect opportunity to revive interest in the tea break, because tea is cheaper per cup than coffee – both at home and from a coffee shop. Free packets of Tetley tea and Maryland chocolate chip cookies will be given away to customers who spend£30.

“Coffee culture replaced the tea break over here in the late 1990s thanks to the arrival of American outlets such as Starbucks, Prêt À Manger and Coffee Republic,” said Tesco tea buyer Paul Grigg.

“Consequently, tea parties and afternoon tea all but died out as falling sales of teapots shows. And, in these financially challenging times, having a simple yet heartwarming cup of tea and some biscuits can be dramatically cheaper than ordering a cappuccino and muffin.”

Figures from AC Nielsen show that the UK tea market is growing 0.3 per cent year on year, in a market worth£461 million.

The move also highlights a return to Tesco’s roots – tea was the first own-brand product sold by company founder Jack Cohen.

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