At Sainsbury’s, we’re committed to taking a leading role in creating a more sustainable and resilient food system in the UK, with a thriving farming sector at its heart.
This is a commitment to driving investment in the food system and contributing to economic growth. We can’t overlook the importance of financial stability and investment in developing this strategy as it is the foundation for long-term success. For our part, we are working ever more closely with our suppliers and farmers to give long-term assurance and ensure we’re securing our supply chains for the future, growing the produce we need here in the UK.
In partnership with Moy Park, our trusted poultry supplier, we were the first retailer of our scale to give our birds 20 per cent more space and enhance their welfare, helping our by Sainsbury’s chickens have happier and healthier lives. More recently, we’ve expanded our work with Fairtrade, building on a partnership of over 20 years, to help us build a more resilient and sustainable food system. In February 2024, we invested in closing living wage gaps for banana workers with Fairtrade - three years ahead of the industry commitment – and moved to longer-term sourcing commitments with banana suppliers to provide them with greater stability and financial security. In April 2025, we expanded our partnership further by converting all of our by Sainsbury’s classic tea to Fairtrade, which will result in an increase to the Fairtrade Premium that farmers and workers receive to over £1,000,000 annually. We are also working collaboratively to create more robust and sustainable supply chains by developing an innovative initiative with Fairtrade, involving over 50 producers across tea, coffee and bananas, that will ensure the benefits of Fairtrade drive long lasting positive impacts to communities.
In a first for UK retailers, we also launched the Sainsbury’s Egg Group, which will support our egg farmers to become more resilient by providing them with greater financial security and working with them to improve animal welfare. We have a history of innovating in eggs and in 2009 we became the first major retailer to stock 100 per cent cage-free eggs. Since 2020, all by Sainsbury’s eggs have been free range.
We play a vital role in ensuring the UK food system remains strong and sustainable for generations to come and are proud to be a leader in sector innovation. In 2024, we were the first UK supermarket to introduce conventional mushrooms grown without peat, a change to production that will reduce peat usage by 20,465 tonnes per year, helping to protect nature and reduce carbon in our supply chain. This revolutionary move has the added benefit of growing mushrooms that are firmer and last longer.
