Sainsbury’s has deepened its longstanding partnership with the Fairtrade Foundation by converting all of its “by Sainsbury’s” black tea to Fairtrade, eight years after announcing a step away from the accreditation for its teas. 

The transition means every bag of own-brand black tea now carries the Fairtrade mark, ensuring farmers and workers receive a secure minimum price for their produce, alongside additional Fairtrade Premium payments to invest in community projects. The retailer expects this shift alone to generate over £1 million in Fairtrade Premium annually for tea producers.

Tea is grown in regions highly exposed to the effects of climate change, including water scarcity, soil degradation, and biodiversity loss. Producers also face a range of human rights and economic challenges, including poverty, poor working conditions, and gender-based violence. Through its partnership with Fairtrade, Sainsbury’s aims to support more resilient and sustainable livelihoods for farmers and workers facing these pressures.

The retailer already offers a wide selection of Fairtrade-certified products across its stores - including bananas, coffee, wine, sugar, and nuts - and contributes more Fairtrade Premium than any other UK supermarket, according to its website. In 2024, sales of own-brand Fairtrade products at Sainsbury’s generated over £6 million in Premium for producer communities.

The tea announcement forms part of a broader sustainability strategy under Sainsbury’s “Plan for Better” initiative. Central to this is the Resilience Building Initiative (RBI), launched in partnership with Fairtrade, which brings together producers of tea, coffee, and bananas to tackle environmental and social risks in key sourcing regions. The RBI focuses on long-term collaboration, knowledge-sharing, and attracting funding for targeted interventions in areas such as climate resilience, human rights, and sustainable farming.

Elsewhere, Sainsbury’s continues to lead among UK grocers in Fairtrade sales of bananas and sugar, having topped the category for nine consecutive years. The business has also introduced mechanisms — developed in partnership with Fairtrade and suppliers — to accelerate living wage progress in its banana supply chain and invest in sustainable agricultural practices.

The Fairtrade model continues to be a cornerstone of Sainsbury’s sourcing approach, supporting over 130 producer organisations in 29 countries and reaching tens of thousands of farmers and workers globally.

Read more about Sainsbury's partnership with Fairtrade here. 

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