Testimonials from Producers
Hear directly from the dedicated individuals who make our tea possible
In an exciting new commitment, all by Sainsbury's black tea is now proudly Fairtrade.
As a result of the move, tea farmers and workers will earn an estimated £1,000,000 annually in Fairtrade Premium, and Sainsbury’s is projected to become the largest retailer of Fairtrade tea in the UK.
This step forward on tea builds on our partnership with Fairtrade, and follows news that last year we became the first UK retailer to take action to address the living wage gap in bananas, 3 years ahead of the industry commitment.
Kerrina Thorogood"We’re very excited today by Sainsbury’s announcement that it will convert all of its by Sainsbury’s black tea to Fairtrade. This change will have a huge impact on the people behind the Sainsbury’s tea we love, their families and communities. We now call on other companies to join Sainsbury’s, alongside M&S, Co-op, Waitrose, Greggs and Clipper, by choosing Fairtrade certification for tea and collaborating with us to build a more sustainable tea sector.”
Partnerships Director, Fairtrade Foundation
Tea is grown all over the world on both plantations and by smallholder farmers. 13 million people are employed in the global tea sector1, however sourcing tea in a way that supports the people who grow it, whilst also protecting our planet, is not always easy.
The impacts of climate change, including erratic weather and increasing temperatures, are putting pressure on farmers. Additionally, low wages are common in the tea sector, and women workers in some parts of the industry have experienced gender-based violence and harassment.
That’s why this summer we are converting all our by Sainsbury’s black tea to Fairtrade, meaning that we are projected to be the largest retailer of Fairtrade tea in the UK.
Through our partnership, tea farmers and workers will be paid a minimum secure price for every kilogram of tea bought and it will result in an expected increase to the Fairtrade Premium that farmers and workers earn to over £1,000,000 annually. The Fairtrade Premium is an additional sum of money which goes to a communal fund for farmers and workers to use to improve their social, economic and environmental conditions. For some it might go towards making farming more climate resilient, others use it to support education in their local communities, and some may draw on it to provide healthcare and childcare services. The benefits for tea producers include:
Economic Stability: Fairtrade means that farmers and workers receive a minimum price, providing financial security for farmers, workers and their families.
Community Development: Additional premiums from Fairtrade sales support social, economic, and environmental projects that benefit entire communities.
Building Resilience: Through our new way of working with Fairtrade, farmers and workers will be supported to invest in long-term approaches to address critical environmental and social risks affecting them and their businesses.
Partnerships: By working with Fairtrade, we aim to create long term relationships with the people who grow our tea, giving them the confidence to invest in their future.
Making a difference with every sip
When you choose by Sainsbury's Fairtrade black tea, you are not just enjoying a delicious cup of tea; you are also standing alongside farmers and workers and advocating for a fairer tea industry. Our customers can be confident in:
A Quality Cup of Tea: Fairtrade certification means that our tea meets rigorous environmental and social standards, as well as tasting delicious.
Ethical Choices: By supporting Fairtrade, you contribute to fairer pay and better working and living conditions for farmers and workers all over the world.
Sustainable Future: Your cup of tea helps promote more sustainable farming practices and protect the environment for future generations.
Building resilience with tea farmers and workers
In addition to the conversion of our black tea to Fairtrade, we are also developing an innovative approach with Fairtrade that will build resilience and enable greater collaboration amongst our tea producers. Our Resilience Building Initiative (RBI) will bring together producers across tea, coffee and bananas to help us create more robust and sustainable supply chains, and ensure the benefits of Fairtrade drive long lasting, positive impacts to communities.
The RBI will enable us to collaboratively identify human rights and environmental challenges and forthcoming risks with producers whilst building longer term partnerships with producers that enable them to better plan and invest in their future. In addition, the initiative will seek to provide opportunities for insights sharing across the regions and producer groups we supply from as well as aiming to galvanise wider industry action through specific interventions, by attracting funding to address identified risks and by supporting advocacy efforts.
This represents a significant step forward in our commitment to ethical sourcing and sustainability, and we have played an integral role in shaping the initiative with Fairtrade. We are looking forward to seeing the results of the new initiative and how we can take learnings to continue to improve the tea sector.
You can read more about our Fairtrade Partnership and our approach to sourcing sustainable tea.
"When we come together, great things happen"
Grace Njoki, Tea Farmer at Nduti Tea Factory Kenya
Fairtrade tea farmer Grave Njoki sees the power of collective action. As part of the Nduti Tea Factory Cooperative, Grace has seen how Fairtrade Premium has supported families to educate their children, including her own.
It is common for families in the community to not be able to afford to support all their children with an education. But for Grace, access to a Premium-funded education bursary has meant her son has been able to finish university, and her other children have been able to keep learning too.
“When Sukambizi heard the news about Sainsbury’s... Farmers were very happy“
Edson Maotchedwe, Chairman at Sukambizi Association Trust
To the tea farmers at Sukambizi Association Trust, Fairtrade Premium means they can invest in projects to address many of the challenges that the community experience. The projects they have implemented include schools, bursaries and hospitals. As well as sending their children to school, farmers are able to access tools to improve production – helping them be more successful.
"I know we have provided our people with the very best, we have provided them with life"
Jacquelyne Wangari, Chief Clerk Accountant and the Secretary of the Fairtrade Premium Committee at Gacharage Tea Factory Kenya
Jacquelyne Wangari is Chief Clerk Accountant and the Secretary of the Fairtrade Premium Committee. The Committee is made up of members elected by the farmers, its role is to decide on how Premium funds generated from tea sales are spent, depending on what the community needs.
Fairtrade Premium funds are equally distributed to the six catchment areas around the factory. Jacquelyne has witnessed how the Fairtrade Premium has made a significant and lasting difference to the community. She’s seen its wide-ranging benefits, with loans to set up businesses that generate additional incomes, scholarships for girls, and the arrival of clean drinking water.
All photos were provided by Fairtrade