ICONIC tea company Twinings has discontinued a popular tea flavour, confirming the news on social media.
The calming brew, a favourite amongst tea-lovers, has now permanently disappeared from the shelves.
Inner Strength was a calming rooibos tea, made with honey, chai and maca.
After learning of its discontinuation, one fan wrote on X: “That’s a shame. It was a thing of beauty.”
The same user had previously quizzed the brand on where the teabags had gone, typing: “@TwiningsUK hello there. Do you still sell the inner strength tea bags please.
“I can’t seem to find them anywhere anymore.”
To this, a spokesperson confirmed: “We’re sorry to let you know that our Inner Strength has been discontinued and we have sold through all our remaining stock.”
It comes as a popular Yorkshire Tea product has also been axed – Toast and Jam teabags.
The gradual phase-out of the comforting brew has left customers desperately scrambling for one last box.
One panicked X user wrote: “Have you stop making jam and toast… I need my morning fix! Help this is a genuine emergency! Asda and Sainsbury’s online stopped stocking it! Helllllppppp.”
It’s understood that the blend is now being replaced by the brand’s new “Caramelised Biscuit Brew” – designed to conjure the comforting taste combination of a brew and a biscuit.
The discontinuation of Inner Strength is not the first time Twinings has axed a beloved tea.
Last year, it got rid of the Boost Superblend, a soothing detox blend.
It also ditched the Seasons Greeting Christmas tea, prompting an apology from the brand.
A spokesperson wrote an X: “We’re afraid our Seasons Greetings Christmas Tea is no longer available as sadly, this was discontinued due to a lack of demand.
“We’re really sorry & will pass your interest on to our Product Development team.”
Last month, Twinings also lost out as the nation’s favourite tea maker, as Asda Everyday Tea Bags nabbed top spot with PG Tips a close second.
Twinings Everyday was at the bottom of the table, tied with Tesco Original Tea – with both scoring just 67%.
The results followed a blind taste-test by 79 experienced tea drinkers.
At £4.80 per 80 bags, Twinings costs four times the price of Asda’s winning cuppa.
More than 60% of judges liked the colour and bitterness level of Twinings but fewer than half said they were satisfied with the brew’s strength of flavour.
THERE are plenty of ways to save on your grocery shop.
You can look out for yellow or red stickers on products, which show when they’ve been reduced.
If the food is fresh, you’ll have to eat it quickly or freeze it for another time.
Making a list should also save you money, as you’ll be less likely to make any rash purchases when you get to the supermarket.
Going own brand can be one easy way to save hundreds of pounds a year on your food bills too.
This means ditching “finest” or “luxury” products and instead going for “own” or value” type of lines.
Plenty of supermarkets run wonky veg and fruit schemes where you can get cheap prices if they’re misshapen or imperfect.
For example, Lidl runs its Waste Not scheme, offering boxes of 5kg of fruit and vegetables for just £1.50.
If you’re on a low income and a parent, you may be able to get up to £442 a year in Healthy Start vouchers to use at the supermarket too.
Plus, many councils offer supermarket vouchers as part of the Household Support Fund.
AMANDA Abbington has slapped down Giovanni Pernice’s suggestion they could have a “cup of tea and chat” about the Strictly scandal.
The Strictly Come Dancing pro was grilled by Christine Lampard yesterday on Lorraine — and was asked if he wanted to say sorry to Amanda.
Giovanni replied: “I think we would have a nice cup of tea, we’ll have a chat and talk about what happened in that room.”
A friend of the Sherlock star told The Sun: “If Giovanni is putting the kettle on and waiting to speak to Amanda, it will be ice cold.
“The only meeting she will attend is one with the BBC to raise concerns about the handling of the investigation.”
ITV host Christine, whose friend Ranvir Singh also complained about Giovanni’s conduct, told him: “Amanda sat in this studio and described to us how it felt like bullying, to be in the rehearsal room with you.”
Giovanni replied: “It’s in the public domain the fact I’m a strict teacher. If you want to achieve greatness, I think this is the right way.”
He added: “It’s very difficult, because at that time everything was perfect.
“Me and Amanda Abbington never had an argument.”
But a spokesperson for Amanda said: “Mr Pernice’s claim that ‘everything in the rehearsal room worked perfectly’ is false and delusional, and underlines the toxic culture Ms Abbington endured on the show.”
Giovanni also said he recorded himself during rehearsals “because I didn’t feel comfortable in the room, I didn’t feel safe.”
Amanda’s pal added: “If, as he claims, nothing was wrong in the sessions, why did he feel the need to record everything covertly?”
In his interview with Christine, Giovanni defended his actions on Strictly after the BBC probe upheld six of Amanda’s 17 complaints.
October 2023: Amanda abruptly withdraws from Strictly having already missed one live show. Her departure is announced in a vague BBC statement that ‘wishes her the best’.
Giovanni posts a short message on social media addressing the exit, which read: “Amanda… I am so sad we can’t continue but I am proud of what we achieved and I am sending you so much love.”
Amanda then shares her own farewell statement on Instagram thanking co-stars but failing to mention Gio.
Giovanni’s dad Piero insists there were no signs of a fall out and the pairing could have gone all the way. He praised his son as kind and polite.
November 2023: Giovanni is reportedly gutted by the situation and is considering his Strictly future as questions are raised about his conduct.
January 2024: Amanda’s PTSD diagnosis comes to light and she demands CCTV from rehearsals to prove that Giovanni’s training methods weren’t acceptable.
The BBC issues a statement defending its duty of care to contestants, insisting it takes any claims of wrongdoing very seriously.
The Corporation stands by its man after emergency meeting
March 2024: Giovanni publicly states he has no intention of leaving Strictly in a TV interview with close pal Anton du Beke.
Ranvir Singh and Laura Whitmore enter the picture. Allegedly the two celebs, who were both previously partnered with Giovanni on Strictly, didn’t feel the BBC took their issues with his methods seriously enough.
The pair have a closed meeting with Amanda where tears are said to be shed.
May 2024: We reveal Giovanni is leaving the programme after having talks with show bosses
He leaves the country with girlfriend Molly Brown on holiday
The BBC launches an internal investigation after three complainants instruct lawyers. A source describes it as a “nightmare situation”.
BUDGET supermarket chain ASDA has slashed the price of a handy phone gadget – from £15 down to £2.
News of the generous discount spread on social media, with users comparing how much the item was on sale for at their local branch.
The ASDA own-brand product is a slim, portable power bank, with 18 watts of power and 10,000 mAh battery capacity – perfect for charging devices on the go.
Although it is currently advertised on the ASDA website for £15, one Facebook user said it was currently scanning for £2.40 in the Merry Hill branch in the West Midlands – an 84 per cent discount.
Another, Leeds-based commenter wrote: “Got yesterday in Morley Asda for £2.40.”
A third, from Scotland, said: “I got some in Falkirk Asda today. 10k was £2.20 and 20k was £2.40.”
And another, from Hampshire, said: “£2.20 in Fareham today, about 4 left on the shelf.”
Meanwhile, others expressed frustration that their local branches were not offering the discount.
One said: “Found one I my local still scanning at 15.”
Another wrote: “Been to four different asdas and all full price lol.”
And one commenter expressed concerns about the product itself, saying: “They get so hot it burns your hand.”
It comes as ASDA has also put a wide range of Halloween snacks on sale at bargain prices.
These include 99p Haribo Monsters and £2.50 boxes of Cadbury Pumpkin Patch Cakes.
Earlier this year, a bargain hunter and ASDA worker shared their tips for getting major discounts at ASDA.
Taking to the Facebook group Yellow Sticker Shopping Tips, Tricks and Hauls, they wrote: “Asda use to do the reductions three times but now [the] system is the times only. The percentage varies on quantity.”
“1st reduction is [the] night before (for items expiring tomorrow) [and] 2nd reduction (final reduction) is done afternoon time.
“All stores maybe slightly different in times and even same store maybe different due to staff.”
Turning their attention to shoppers, they added: “Tip: a lot of people like to go later evenings or maybe Sunday mornings (waiting for shop opening) to find 1st reductions.
“Not reduced much but surely helps save money.
“Food will not go off straight away, depending what type of food, factories usually give extra couple of days while Best Before items is often perfectly fine to eat as long as quality of inside has not changed. Dry food stays fine for a while.”
They went on to also recommend apps like Olio and Too Good To Go for struggling families.
SUN Savers Editor Lana Clements explains how to find a cut-price item and bag a bargain…
Sign up to loyalty schemes of the brands that you regularly shop with.
Big names regularly offer discounts or special lower prices for members, among other perks.
Sales are when you can pick up a real steal.
Retailers usually have periodic promotions that tie into payday at the end of the month or Bank Holiday weekends, so keep a lookout and shop when these deals are on.
Sign up to mailing lists and you’ll also be first to know of special offers. It can be worth following retailers on social media too.
When buying online, always do a search for money off codes or vouchers that you can use vouchercodes.co.uk and myvouchercodes.co.uk are just two sites that round up promotions by retailer.
Scanner apps are useful to have on your phone. Trolley.co.uk app has a scanner that you can use to compare prices on branded items when out shopping.
Bargain hunters can also use B&M’s scanner in the app to find discounts in-store before staff have marked them out.
And always check if you can get cashback before paying which in effect means you’ll get some of your money back or a discount on the item.
SHOPPERS at a major fashion brand have been left fuming after being banned from the site for “excessive” returns.
PrettyLittleThing has deactivated a number of customers’ online accounts because of the number of times they have returned orders.
Baffled customers have insisted they haven’t returned enough to justify a ban from the retail giant.
Some of those affected have taken to social media to criticise the new policy, with many claiming they would return fewer items if the sizing of PLT clothes was more consistent.
One TikTok user vented her ban on the platform while demanding an explanation for the bizarre sanction.
Faye said on the social media: “The only reason I return clothes is because it’s poor quality, it’s not as described on the website, the sizing standards are awful – yet PrettyLittleThing still think it’s a clever move to ban people from shopping from them because they can’t stick to their descriptions of clothes.
She backed her claim by displaying an email that confirmed she had been banned “in accordance with terms and conditions” after reviewing her “account activity”.
This apparently revealed “unusually high returns activity” – disallowing her from placing “any further orders”.
Seeing both sides, Faye said she understood why they may have wanted to clamp down on “girls spending hundreds of pounds for content making PrettyLittleThing hauls”.
This is because some purchasers then go and return everything, but the TikToker remained confused over the decision to ban her given they’re an “online website”.
She added: “And if you say something’s a size 10 and it turns up fitting a size 6 girl instead, what do you expect?”
The most disgruntled customers are those who have paid £9.99 for PLT’s Royalty scheme, which offers free next day delivery and free returns to members.
Fellow fuming customers took to Faye’s comments to express their frustration on the bizarre banning.
One user said: “I have an online account with them but I’ve never actually ordered anything, I got an email today. I think it’s a glitch.”
Another commented: “Very real. I’m FUMING; I’ve literally sent 3 orders back this year out of about 20 orders and it’s the sizing issues.”
And: “I’m the type of person to order loads of dresses for an occasion and then I’ll return what I won’t wear!”
Other users revealed how they had previously been sent the wrong order by PLT, and therefore don’t understand how the retailer could put such a ban on returns.
A disgruntled shopper said: “One time they sent me THE WRONG DRESS.”
Another added: “I got this, fuming. It’s okay though when they send the wrong items in an order, send orders out late, and take my royalty fee for the year that I paid for.”
PLT is part of the Boohoo Group and was founded by Mahmud Kamani in 2006 as an accessories-only brand that focused on selling trendy gear for cheap.
It was co-founded and headed up by Umar Kamani, one of Mahmud Kamani’s sons, who was the catalyst in the brand’s celebrity appeal .
Despite the cheap price point of its items, PLT has executed a number of star-studded collaborations.
These include with the likes of supermodel Naomi Campbell and a number of sell-out collections with influencer Molly-May Hague.
PrettyLittleThing have been approached for comment.
DEPUTY Fashion Editor Abby McHale weighs in:
The supermarkets have really upped their game when it comes to their fashion lines. These days, as you head in to do your weekly food shop you can also pick up a selection of purse-friendly, stylish pieces for all the family.
Tesco has just announced a 0.7 per cent increase in the quarter thanks to a ‘strong growth in clothing’ and M&S has earnt the title of the number one destination for womenswear on the high street.
Asda’s clothing line George has made £1.5 million for the supermarket in 2023, 80 per cent of Sainsbury’s clothes sold at full price rather than discounted and Nutmeg at Morrisons sales are also up 2 per cent in the past year.
So what is it about supermarket fashion that is becoming so successful?
Apart from the clothing actually being affordable, it’s good quality too – with many being part of schemes such as the Better Cotton Initiative.
A lot of the time they keep to classic pieces that they know will last the customer year after year.
Plus because they buy so much stock they can turn around pieces quickly and buy for cheaper because of the volumes.
FORMER Chilean international Jorge Valdivia has been arrested on suspicion of rape.
Prosecutors confirmed the former attacking midfielder, considered one of the greatest playmakers in his country’s football history, had been held earlier today.
His female accuser claims she woke up in his apartment yesterday morning after a memory blackout following two cocktails at an agreed meeting on Sunday night in a Peruvian restaurant in Chile’s capital city Santiago to discuss the design of a tattoo.
The woman who made the allegations, said to work as a tattoo artist, is understood to have made a formal complaint after the ex-footballer confirmed they had had sex.
The restaurant has been named locally as ‘Chicha en Aji’ in the Santiago district of Providencia.
Valdivia, a product of Colo-Colo’s youth ranks who was an integral part of the 2015 Copa America winning Chile squad and featured in two World Cups for his country, denies the rape allegations.
He said in a statement sent to Chilean press: “I had a consensual relationship with an adult woman.”
He added: “I will co-operate fully to ensure this matter this can be resolved as quickly as possible” before urging the media to show “caution and protect my right to innocence.”
Prisa Media, which owns Chilean radio station Radio ADN where Valdivia works as a commentator, reacted by announcing they had suspended him.
It said in a statement: “The management of Prisa Media has taken the decision to suspend Jorge Valdivia’s participation indefinitely until his legal situation is resolved by the courts.”
Valdivia, 40, was nicknamed El Mago, English for ‘The Wizard’, during his career. He was a classic number 10 best-known for his passing ability and skills.
He has been praised by the likes of Pele and Carlos Valderrama.
Valdivia played in Chile as well as Brazil and Mexico, scoring seven goals in his 78 appearances for the senior Chilean national team.
BIG Brother has revealed three more rule breaks as Segun, Hanah and Khaled plotted to boot out Ali.
Last night it was revealed that Khaled faces eviction on Friday alongside Izaaz, Nathan and Marcello.
This week, housemates were nominated in pairs but Ali and Dean were immune after becoming Heads of House.
Sides are now forming in the house, after Khaled and Marcello were put up for eviction despite not receiving any nominations.
Head of House, Ali and Dean, decided to save Lily and Hanah instead and speaking about the results, Khaled was the first to break the rules by discussing Lily.
Next up, Hanah spoke about Marcello, and said: “If you and Marcello stay in and everything, I need next HoH to be this group.”
Segun hammered the final nail into the coffin as he agreed with Hanah.
He said: “Yeah I think Marcello said it as well, he was like if I stay in, she [Ali] goes next week.
“I hear it. I can’t lie, we need to get rid of this wolf man. The red witch is coming”.
Big Brother played the conversation on the speakers in front of the stunned housemates.
Ali was seen laughing off the remarks, but Big Brother continued: “Housemates… when will you learn?
“There have been multiple rule breaks regarding the discussion of nominations.”
The housemates were punished by being put on a diet of porridge.
Housemates and viewers have been up in arms over Ali and Dean “manipulating” the results of the latest nominations.
Big Brother gave them the power to either add two housemates to face eviction with a ‘killer nomination’, or to ‘save and replace’ two by swapping them out.
Viewers were outraged by Ali and Dean’s decision to put up Marcello and Khaled who hadn’t been nominated by anybody in the house.
As they shared the decision with the group, Ali explained to Sarah: “It’s really tough because I’ve had beef with Marcello and Ali everyone will think that’s why their up.”
Despite the four options on the table, they begged Big Brother to axe Ali instead.
One said: “What an actual manipulating horror Ali is! Get her out!”
Another said: “Their choice here shows that Ali has an actual vendetta against anyone who beefs her. Get her out!”
A third said: “Ali & Dean thought the house would pick Marcello & Khalid as a majority and no one did. Time for them to go!”
A brand new batch of Big Brother housemates are living it up in the famous compound.
Meet the cast of the 2024 series:
POSH and Becks have so many bucks they bought their £55.6million Miami mansion in cash.
Paperwork has revealed they did not need a mortgage for the nine-bed pad, which they signed the deeds for on October 3.
The mansion, overlooking Biscayne Bay, has a 124ft pool, chef’s kitchen and cinema room.
An insider said: “David and Victoria are loaded but buying a £55.6million house with cash is impressive.
“They adore it and want to spend as much time there as possible.
“It’s their dream property and the culmination of all their hard work.”
David, 49, and Victoria, 50, have an impressive property portfolio.
As well as an £18million flat inside Miami’s One Thousand Museum building, bought in 2020, they own a £31million townhouse in Holland Park, West London.
The pair also bought a £12million converted barn in the Cotswolds where they spend a lot of time with their children, Brooklyn, 25, Romeo, 22, Cruz, 19 and 13-year-old Harper.
The Sun revealed this month they were buying the Miami base.
The Beckhams were said to be worth more than £450million at the start of this year.
David coins it in from brand partnerships and licensing deals and Victoria’s fashion firm has grown profits.
David launched Inter Miami CF in 2018 and the football club, with star player Lionel Messi, is now reported to be worth £803million.