PG Tips: The Story of Britain’s Most Beloved Tea Brand

[PG tips chimp – AI Generated Image]

From humble beginnings in a Manchester tea shop to becoming the UK’s most consumed tea brand, PG Tips has been an integral part of British culture for over 90 years. With approximately 35 million cups consumed daily across the UK, PG Tips has earned its place as a true national institution.

The Manchester Origins: Arthur Brooke’s Vision

The story of PG Tips begins in 1869 when Arthur Brooke, born in Ashton-under-Lyne, Greater Manchester, opened his first tea shop at 29 Market Street in Manchester. Unlike many tea companies of the era that sold blended teas, Brooke focused on pure, high-quality teas sourced directly from India and China.

Brooke chose the name “Brooke Bond” not because there was a Mr. Bond, but simply because he liked the sound of it. The “Bond” represented his promise, or ‘bond’, to customers to always provide quality teas. His early advertising slogan captured his philosophy: “Good tea unites good company, exhilarates the spirits, banishes restraint from conversation and promotes the happiest purposes of social intercourse”.

The business expanded rapidly from its Manchester roots. By the 1870s, Brooke Bond had entered the wholesale tea market during a severe trade depression in Britain, with sales increasing dramatically. The company continued to prosper after Arthur’s retirement in 1904, and following his death in 1918, control passed to his sons.

The Birth of PG Tips: “Pre-Gest-Tea”

In 1930, Brooke Bond launched what would become their most famous product under the original name “Pre-Gest-Tea”. The name implied that the tea could be consumed before meals as a digestive aid. Grocers and salesmen quickly abbreviated it to “PG,” and the company later added “Tips” to highlight that only the top two leaves and bud of each tea plant were used in the blend.

Following World War II, labelling regulations prohibited describing tea as aiding digestion, so by 1950-1951, the brand was simply known as PG Tips. This name change proved fortuitous, as it would become one of the most recognizable brands in British retail history.

The Trafford Park Factory: A Manchester Legacy

A significant milestone came in 1923 when Brooke Bond opened a large factory in Trafford Park, Manchester. This facility, now owned by Lipton Teas and Infusions, has been producing PG Tips continuously since 1930 and remains one of the largest teabag factories in the world.

The factory has undergone numerous innovations over the decades. In 2023, Lipton Teas and Infusions invested £40 million in new machinery and training at the Trafford Park facility as part of a major product relaunch. The factory celebrated its centenary in 2023, marking 100 years of tea production in Manchester.

Innovation and the Pyramid Revolution

PG Tips has consistently pioneered tea brewing innovations. The brand is credited with inventing the teabag in 1960. However, their most significant innovation came in 1996 with the launch of the pyramid-shaped teabag.

The development of the pyramid teabag was the result of a four-year scientific research effort costing £25 million. Working with scientists at Imperial College, the company experimented with various shapes including cylinders, cubes, and even top hats before settling on the pyramid design. The three-dimensional shape gave tea leaves 50% more room to move compared to flat conventional teabags, allowing for better infusion and stronger flavour.

By 1999, pyramid teabags made up one-fifth of Britain’s teabag sales. The Trafford Park factory was equipped with custom-built machines from Mollins of Coventry, capable of producing 35,000 teabags per minute. A single teabag-making module could fold a paper tube into a pyramid shape, fill it with tea, and seal it shut up to 1,000 times per minute.

The Chimpanzee Era: Advertising History

Following Arthur Brooke’s early emphasis on advertising, PG Tips launched one of the most memorable advertising campaigns in British television history in 1956. The campaign featured chimpanzees from Twycross Zoo in Leicestershire, dressed in human clothing and voiced by famous actors including Peter Sellers, Kenneth Williams, Bob Monkhouse, and Bruce Forsyth.

The PG Tips chimps became the longest-running characters in British TV advertising, appearing in commercials for 46 years until their retirement in 2002. Famous adverts included the piano removal scene with the punchline “Dad, do you know the piano’s on my foot?” “You hum it, son, I’ll play it!”.

[PG tips chimp on box – AI Generated Image]

However, the campaign’s legacy is now viewed differently. Modern research has revealed that the chimps suffered long-term psychological damage from their entertainment careers. Choppers, the last surviving PG Tips chimp who died in 2016, struggled with social integration throughout her life, preferring human company to other chimpanzees. Recent autobiographical analysis showed evidence of trauma from her capture as a six-week-old infant in West Africa.

The Tea Blend: A Global Creation

PG Tips is created from blend 777, which can contain between 12 and 35 different estate teas depending on the season. The tea is sourced from some of the world’s finest tea-growing regions, including:

• Assam, India: Provides rich, malty flavours and bold, robust characteristics

• Ceylon, Sri Lanka: Contributes bright, brisk quality with citrusy undertones

• Kenya: Adds depth and layers of flavour and aroma

The teas are imported in bulk and blended according to precise proportions set by expert tea tasters at the Trafford Park factory. This careful blending process ensures consistency in every cup, maintaining the distinctive PG Tips taste that British consumers have come to expect.

Market Position and Competition

For decades, PG Tips held the position as the UK’s leading tea brand. By 1958, PG Tips had risen from fourth to first place in the British tea market. The brand maintained this dominance for many years, but the competitive landscape has shifted significantly in recent decades.

Current market data shows that while PG Tips remains extremely popular, it has faced increasing competition from Yorkshire Tea, which has emerged as the new market leader with a 36.7% share of the black tea market. PG Tips has experienced some challenges, with sales declining by £15.1m and volumes dropping 37.8% following a major relaunch in September 2023.

Despite these challenges, PG Tips maintains a strong position in the market. The brand’s market penetration increased to 7.2% in the final quarter of 2024, showing signs of recovery. Research indicates that 53 million cups of tea are consumed before 9am every day in the UK, with PG Tips capturing a significant portion of this morning tea market.

Sustainability and Modern Innovations

PG Tips has embraced sustainability as a core value. In 2018, the brand became the first major UK tea company to switch to 100% biodegradable, plant-based teabags. The new teabags are made from corn starch, making the 10 billion PG Tips teabags produced annually fully biodegradable.

The brand was also the first UK tea company to achieve Rainforest Alliance certification, ensuring that the tea plantations from which PG Tips sources its leaves meet strict environmental and social standards. The Manchester factory now operates on 100% renewable energy.

Cultural Impact and British Identity

PG Tips has become deeply embedded in British culture. The brand’s advertising campaigns have consistently celebrated British values and humour, from the beloved chimps to more recent campaigns featuring British talent like Ashley Walters and Emily Atack.

The phrase “fancy a cuppa?” has become synonymous with British hospitality, and PG Tips has played a significant role in shaping this cultural tradition. The brand recognizes that tea tastes better together and has announced initiatives to help tackle loneliness in the UK.

The Modern Era: Challenges and Opportunities

Today, PG Tips faces both challenges and opportunities in an evolving market. The UK tea market is experiencing overall growth, with value up 10.4% despite a slight volume decline. However, younger generations are increasingly turning to specialty teas, green teas, and alternative beverages.

Recent market research shows that 48% of Brits now drink tea at least once a day, compared to higher historical figures. This generational shift has prompted PG Tips to modernize its approach while maintaining its core appeal to traditional tea drinkers.

In 2025, PG Tips brought back its iconic Monkey mascot after eight years, signalling a return to its advertising roots. The new campaign features Emily Atack and represents an £8 million investment in reconnecting with British consumers.

The Future of PG Tips

As PG Tips approaches its 95th anniversary, the brand continues to evolve while staying true to its Manchester roots. The recent £40 million investment in the Trafford Park factory demonstrates the company’s commitment to maintaining UK production.

The brand has launched new products including PG Tips Special Blends featuring Earl Grey, Chai, Gold, and English Breakfast varieties. These new offerings aim to encourage regular black tea drinkers to explore different flavours while maintaining the quality and consistency that has made PG Tips a household name.

Conclusion

From Arthur Brooke’s first tea shop in Manchester to becoming the UK’s most consumed tea brand, PG Tips represents more than just a beverage—it embodies British culture, innovation, and tradition. While facing modern challenges from changing consumer preferences and increased competition, PG Tips continues to hold a special place in British hearts and homes.

The brand’s journey from “Pre-Gest-Tea” to national icon illustrates how a simple idea—providing quality tea at an affordable price—can create a lasting legacy. As Britain’s tea-drinking habits continue to evolve, PG Tips remains committed to its founding principle: creating moments of connection and comfort, one cup at a time.

With its Manchester factory still producing millions of teabags daily and its commitment to sustainability and innovation, PG Tips is well-positioned to continue serving British tea lovers for generations to come. Whether you prefer the classic blend or one of the new specialty varieties, PG Tips remains, quite simply, the nation’s favourite tea.

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