Get ready for alcoholic ice tea

The "ready to drink" (RTD) market is in a state of flux. Sugary drinks are seeing steep declines and energy drinks have reached saturation points. It's no surprise then that we are seeing the market for canned and bottled drinks take many different directions lately. Regular readers of WikiTrend already know about reduced-sugar sodas, sparkling coffee, caffeinated juices and the heated carbonated beverages that are being sold from Japanese vending machines. Now a British company is debuting Harry Brompton’s London Ice Tea, a blend of black tea, grain spirit and citrus that's being sold at Waitrose supermarkets around the country. Combining tea and booze – two of the most beloved beverages in Britain – might seem like a no-lose proposition. But whether or not this lightly sparkling 4-percent alcohol tea will be a hit or not, it is further proof that the RTD market is in flux and quickly changing. Watch this space.