Good Earth Tea
Lacks transparency. Publishes some details, but doesn't show its workers are paid and treated fairly.
Last researched 3 November 2026 · 5 sources
Californian tea brand known for its Sweet & Spicy blend.
We couldn't confirm where Good Earth Tea gets most of its tea.
Also worth knowing
Most tea is grown in countries such as India and Kenya, where workers are very unlikely to earn a living wage.
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Why it's graded Lacks transparency
- Not met: Meets 1 of 5 Good requirements.
- Holds the grade back: It has 2 red flags: no evidence of a living wage and unaudited production, probably in high-risk countries. Two or more red flags means a poor grade.
- It isn't Harm on record, because there's no serious confirmed problem on its record.
- Lacks transparency is still a poor grade: in supply chains like this, workers who can't be seen to be treated fairly are usually underpaid or unprotected.
Good requirements 1 of 5
- Not met: Pays a living wage, or holds a strong fair-pay certificationLiving wage: no evidence
- Not met: Respects worker rightsWhere tea is usually grown, such as India and China, unions are heavily restricted, and it has no full supply chain audit.
- Not met: Supply chain independently audited or certified, or at least 80% made in countries with strong labour standards
- Met: No child or forced labour findings or links
- Not met: Names the factories or farms that make its products, or is fully certified by a scheme that holds and audits that list
Red flags 2
- Red flag: No evidence it pays a living wage
- Red flag: Probably made partly in countries with poor worker rights, without a full independent audit of its supply chain
Stars it would earn as Good
None yet. Stars only show on Good companies. About stars
Estimates for its products
Our rules applied to one kind of product at a time, using Good Earth Tea's evidence and, where it has product lines, that line's countries. They're estimates: we don't know which factory made any single item.
- A product carrying the Fairtrade mark: Good
Holding one? Scan its barcode for an estimate that uses its care label or ingredients.
Where its tea is grown
We couldn't confirm where Good Earth Tea gets most of its tea, so this shows where tea is usually grown.
| Country | Share | Worker rights | Legal minimum wage | Forced labour risk |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| India | 30% | No guarantee of rights | Well below a living wage | High |
| Kenya | 25% | Systematic violations | Well below a living wage | Moderate |
| Sri Lanka | 20% | Systematic violations | Well below a living wage | Moderate |
| China | 15% | No guarantee of rights | Below a living wage | Moderate |
| Malawi | 5% | Strong protections | Far below a living wage | Moderate |
| Indonesia | 5% | No guarantee of rights | Well below a living wage | Moderate |
Evidence
What we found
- Risk across the industry, not a finding about this company: tea estate wages in Assam, Sri Lanka and Kenya are among the lowest of any export crop, often paid partly in kind (housing, rations). (partly offset by certification or direct sourcing)
Research notes Good Earth packs carry the Rainforest Alliance seal and the Ethical Tea Partnership logo, a standard that is weak on wages. Its parent Tata Consumer Products buys about 32 million kg of tea a year from over 350 suppliers, mainly in Africa and India, but Good Earth itself names no origins or estates, and Tata's modern slavery statements and supplier list cover Tetley and Tata Tea, not Good Earth. No labour abuses linked specifically to Good Earth have been reported.
What independent sources say
| Source | Result | Details |
|---|---|---|
| Australian Modern Slavery Register | Not listed | No Australian modern slavery statement covers Good Earth. View |
| Fairtrade (incl. FLOCERT and Fairtrade ANZ) | Not listed | Good Earth teas carry Rainforest Alliance, not Fairtrade, certification. View |
| Business & Human Rights Resource Centre | Not listed | No labour rights allegations against the Good Earth brand are recorded. View |
Sources and actions
Sources 5
Show all 5 sources
- Good Earth Sweet & Spicy Herbal & Black Tea (QFC) · search the archive · Pack lists Rainforest Alliance certified and Ethical Tea Partnership
- Good Earth Sweet & Spicy Caffeine Free (Kroger) · search the archive · Herbal blend also lists Rainforest Alliance certification and Ethical Tea Partnership
- Tata Consumer Products' Good Earth celebrates 50th anniversary (World Tea News) · search the archive · Owned by Tata Consumer Products; founded 1972; Sensorial Blends Rainforest Alliance certified
- Tata Consumer Canada forced and child labour statement 2024-25 · search the archive · 32m kg of tea from 350+ suppliers, Africa and India most significant; covers Tetley and Tata Tea, not Good Earth
- Good Earth Teabags (Ocado) · search the archive · Sold by UK grocers; no Australian retailer found, only US and UK stockists
Company details
- Headquarters
- United States
- Last researched
- 3 November 2026
- Cite this page
- Labour Lens, "Is Good Earth Tea ethical? Labour rating", https://www.labourlens.net/brand/good-earth-tea, last researched 3 November 2026, accessed [date].
- Method
- Researched with AI assistance against published rules. How we check · What Lacks transparency means
Better-graded tea
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Grades are opinions based on the evidence listed here. Send us evidence, or a right of reply if you represent Good Earth Tea.