Tesco shoppers furious after major change to supermarket essential

'Won't be using in future unless they are changed back'

We have more newsletters

Tesco shoppers are not happy after a revamp of its tea bag packaging with customers claiming its making a mess in their homes. The supermarket made all of its teabags plant-based so they can be turned into compost, and got rid of the foil packaging inside the boxes.

But Tesco customers have said that the new packaging is seeing small bits of tea are leaking out of the bags and leaving dregs at the bottom of people's drinks, reports the Sun.

One customer wrote on the Tesco website: “Ruined! I have bought these tea bags for decades but have switched brands now. Since switching to the 'box only' no-foil packaging the taste is reduced, there is tea dust everywhere and worst of all there is always a disgusting mulchy residue left at the bottom of the cup composed of the dust presumably.

Read moreEastEnders actress Shona McGarty quitting BBC soap after 15 years

“I'm all for more ecological packaging but not if it’s at the expense of the product itself being undrinkable. That's a false ecology.”

Another added: “The new packaging is terrible. The bags need to be decanted into an airtight container now to keep fresh, but doing so is impossible as fine tea powder goes everywhere.

“It also falls out of the cracks in the box even before opening, so I've spent 15 minutes cleaning the worktops and a trail of dust. I won't be buying this any more, despite being my favourite tea for years.”

One customer thought they spotted a difference in the texture of the teabag, saying in a review: "Looking at the actual tea bag and comparing it with one from the previous box it is obvious that it is made differently - it's more 'holey' - this is presumably why the dust is escaping.

"Won't be using in future unless they are changed back."

Stockwell & Co teabags, one of Tesco’s brands, have also been affected, with one angry customer writing: “LOVED these teabags until the packaging changed, now all I get is dust.

"Have to spoon it out of my tea and can't down the last bit as it's full of dust.

“Unfortunately I have 3 boxes to get through. FIX IT, please. Don't buy unless it reverts back to old packaging or get rid of dust.”

More than 70 shoppers have taken to the Tesco website since April to complain about the issue.

A Tesco spokesperson said: “We have listened to the feedback from customers and are working to introduce a tighter weave on our teabags to reduce the amount of tea dust.”