Sellers expecting steady tea orders
An 80- or 160-bag pack gives you a defined quantity to plan around. Consider how many cups you expect to serve and where you will keep opened bags clean and dry.
Who is this for?
Expected demand and the kind of choice you want to offer are more useful starting points than pack size alone.
Small stalls offering a distinct choice
A named breakfast blend or an organic and Fairtrade decaf may fit a shorter menu. Check whether its pack size and stated brewing time suit the pace of your stall.
Sellers answering caffeine questions
Keep the packaging available so you can use the exact product’s caffeine statement. A decaf label alone does not establish that the drink is caffeine-free.
What should you check before buying?
Choose the kind of tea you want to serve, then check pack quantity, preparation and the information you will need at the stall.
Everyday decaf black tea
Consider it when: You expect steady orders and want to plan servings around an 80- or 160-bag pack.
Allow for: Keeping a larger opened pack clean, dry and accessible during service.
Organic and Fairtrade decaf
Consider it when: The tea’s stated sourcing credentials are part of the choice you want to offer.
Allow for: The 2–5 minute infusion recommended by Clipper Tea Shop for its Organic Everyday Decaf when planning made-to-order cups.
Breakfast-style decaf
Consider it when: A named breakfast blend and a 40-bag pack fit a smaller event.
Allow for: Checking whether that pack will cover demand; Twinings recommends a 2–3 minute brew for its English Breakfast Decaffeinated tea.
| Priority | What to check | Your needs |
|---|---|---|
| Pack quantity | Check the stated tea-bag count and net weight. Estimate cups for the event, then plan how opened bags will be stored. | I expect a steady run of orders and want enough bags without leaving a large opened pack after a small event. |
| Tea style and brewing | Check whether the pack contains decaf black or green tea and follow its own brew time. Tesco Groceries lists 1–2 minutes for PG Tips Decaf; Twinings recommends 2–3 minutes for English Breakfast Decaffeinated. | I want a black-tea option for customers who take milk, and a brewing routine I can manage while serving. |
| Caffeine wording | Keep the exact pack available and use its product-specific wording. Tesco Groceries states that its PG Tips Decaf 70-bag product contains less than 0.2% caffeine; that figure does not describe every decaf tea. | When someone asks about caffeine, I need to give the information for the tea I am actually serving. |
| Sourcing credentials | Check the exact product’s organic and Fairtrade descriptions. Clipper Tea Shop identifies its Organic Everyday Decaf as decaffeinated organically grown black tea and describes its Fairtrade sourcing. | I may want sourcing credentials to be a visible part of the refreshments offer. |
| Serving information | Check whether the planned activity is a food business and record the ingredients offered, including any milk. The Food Standards Agency requires allergen information from applicable retail and catering food businesses for prepacked and non-prepacked food and drink. | If I serve prepared tea, I want to answer ingredient questions clearly and establish which food-business requirements apply before the event. |
What could complicate service?
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Calling every decaf tea caffeine-free
A customer may ask specifically about caffeine. Tesco Groceries states that its PG Tips Decaf 70-bag product contains less than 0.2% caffeine, so the word “decaf” should not be used as a universal zero-caffeine claim.
Keep the pack available and repeat only the caffeine wording that applies to the tea you serve; do not offer medical reassurance.
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Overlooking the brew time during a queue
Stated instructions differ: Tesco Groceries gives 1–2 minutes for PG Tips Decaf, while Clipper Tea Shop recommends 2–5 minutes for Organic Everyday Decaf. Made-to-order brewing needs to fit the pace of the stall.
Read the chosen pack’s instructions and plan how cups will be prepared before deciding what to serve.
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Assuming an occasional stall has no food-service duties
Whether a particular car boot sale stall is a food business depends on its activity. The Food Standards Agency says a new food business must register with its local authority at least 28 days before trading and requires applicable retail and catering food businesses to provide allergen information.
Describe your planned activity to the organiser and relevant local authority before the event, and keep ingredient and allergen details for the drinks you intend to offer.
Relevant tea brands
These product-line references help distinguish tea styles and preparation instructions; they do not imply that every pack from a brand is the same.
Yorkshire Tea
Yorkshire Tea Decaf is a black-tea option for an everyday refreshments menu.
- The Joybuy listing for Yorkshire Tea Decaf 40 Tea Bags identifies decaffeinated black tea and a 125 g pack.
- Yorkshire Tea’s description of the blend retaining its character is the brand’s own flavour claim, not an independent comparison.
Tetley
Tetley Decaffeinated is a black-tea option available in different pack counts.
- The Tesco Groceries listing for Tetley’s 80-bag pack identifies decaffeinated black tea and gives a 2–3 minute brewing instruction.
- Check the instructions on the pack you buy rather than applying the 80-bag listing’s directions to every variant.
PG Tips
PG Tips Decaf is another black-tea option with product-specific preparation and caffeine information.
- Tesco Groceries lists a 1–2 minute brew and less than 0.2% caffeine for its PG Tips Decaf 70-bag product.
- The caffeine figure belongs to that product listing; check other pack variants individually.
Twinings
Twinings English Breakfast Decaffeinated offers a named breakfast blend in a 40-bag pack.
- Twinings describes the tea as having body and a light finish and recommends brewing it for 2–3 minutes.
- That flavour description is Twinings’ own; allow for the stated brew time when planning service.
Clipper
Clipper Organic Everyday Decaf is a black-tea option for a menu that highlights its stated sourcing credentials.
- Clipper Tea Shop identifies decaffeinated organically grown black tea, describes Fairtrade sourcing and states that it uses carbon dioxide for decaffeination.
- Clipper recommends a 2–5 minute infusion for its 80-bag product; check the instructions on the exact pack used at the stall.
Decaf tea options on Joybuy
These options include decaf black tea for an everyday stall menu, an organic and Fairtrade black-tea choice, and a decaffeinated green tea for a different kind of offer.
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Tetley 80 Decaffeinated Tea Bags 250g
An 80-bag pack of decaffeinated black tea gives a stall with steady orders a stated quantity to plan around. The product description recommends brewing for 2–3 minutes; check the pack for its exact caffeine wording before answering customer questions.
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Clipper Organic Fairtrade Decaf Everyday 80 Tea Bags 277g
This 80-bag decaf black-tea pack suits a stall that wants to offer the product’s stated organic and Fairtrade credentials. Check the pack’s brewing directions when planning made-to-order service.
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Tetley 160 Decaf Tea Bags 500g
This 160-bag pack of decaffeinated black tea is a quantity to consider when you expect more orders and can keep the opened pack dry. Check this variant’s brewing instructions and caffeine wording on the pack.
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Taylors of Harrogate Yorkshire Tea Decaf 250g
This decaffeinated black tea has a stated net weight of 250 g. Check the bag count on the exact pack before estimating servings, and use its own brewing and caffeine information when serving customers.
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Tetley Green Tea Decaffeinated 50 Tea Bags 100g
This 50-bag decaffeinated green tea offers a different tea style from the black-tea options. Decide whether green tea belongs on your refreshments menu, and follow the exact pack’s preparation and caffeine wording.
Questions about serving decaf tea
Does decaf tea contain no caffeine?
Do not assume so from the word “decaf”. Tesco Groceries states that its PG Tips Decaf 70-bag product contains less than 0.2% caffeine; use the wording on the exact tea you serve rather than applying that figure to other products.
Should I buy a large pack for a car boot sale?
A larger pack can fit expected steady demand, but choose its bag count against the cups you plan to serve and the space available for clean, dry storage. If demand is uncertain, a smaller pack may be easier to plan around.
How long does decaf tea need to brew?
Follow the exact pack rather than using one time for all decaf teas. Tesco Groceries lists 1–2 minutes for PG Tips Decaf and 2–3 minutes for Tetley’s 80-bag decaf; Twinings recommends 2–3 minutes for English Breakfast Decaffeinated, while Clipper Tea Shop gives 2–5 minutes for Organic Everyday Decaf.
Do I need to register to sell prepared tea at a car boot sale?
If the activity is a new food business, the Food Standards Agency says it must be registered with the local authority at least 28 days before trading. Ask the relevant local authority and event organiser how your planned stall is classified; the FSA says a mobile food business should use the location where it is normally stored overnight for registration.
What if I offer milk with the tea?
Keep a clear record of the tea and milk you serve so you can provide accurate allergen information. The Food Standards Agency identifies milk as an allergen and requires applicable retail and catering food businesses to provide allergen information for both prepacked and non-prepacked food and drink.