Sainsbury’s tea returns to Fairtrade label

Sainsbury’s is switching back to Fairtrade certification for black tea in its ‘by Sainsbury’s’ own-label range.

The move will see the return of the Fairtrade logo onto packaging for products like its Red Label own-brand teas later this year.

It is expected to generate over £1m ($1.34m) annually in Fairtrade Premium payments for farmers and workers.

Following the move, Sainsbury’s said it is “projected” to become “the largest retailer of Fairtrade tea in the UK”.

The retailer comes back to Fairtrade certification after dropping the label to pilot its own Fairly Traded logo in 2017. According to The Guardian, the pilot of the scheme came to an end in 2022.

The ‘Fairtrade Premium’, an additional payment on top of the minimum price, is managed by producer groups Sainsbury’s supplies from. The money is typically invested in boosting education, improving climate resilience of farming environment and providing farmers’ local communities with better access to health and childcare.

Sainsbury’s said the partnership will ensure that tea farmers and workers receive a “minimum secure price for every kilogram of tea” of tea purchased, which is expected to boost the Fairtrade Premium they collectively earn.

Commenting on the latest agreement with Fairtrade, Ruth Cranston, director of sustainability at Sainsbury’s, said the decision meant consumers “can be confident that they are contributing to minimum prices for producers and better living conditions for farmers”.

In a separate statement, Fairtrade Foundation partnerships director Kerrina Thorogood added: “Sainsbury’s commitment is incredibly significant because it contributes towards creating more sustainable and resilient food systems, ensuring that farmers have security, are paid a fair price and are supported to build more sustainable production processes and communities.”

Thorogood also urged other companies to follow Sainsbury’s lead, joining M&S, Co-op, and Waitrose in selecting Fairtrade certification for their tea.