The UK consumes around 100 million cups of tea every year, making it the fourth biggest importer in the world — after the United States, Pakistan, and Russia1 .
The tea in UK mugs comes from all over the world, majorly Kenya, India and Sri Lanka. The tiny island of Sri Lanka is one of the largest exporters of tea in the world — second only to export-giant, China — producing 12% of the world’s exports. Alongside tourism and the garment industry, tea is a crucial sector in Sri Lanka’s export economy, and it is an existential threat to Sri Lanka’s environment and the world’s climate systems.