Heath & Heather
Lacks transparency. Publishes some details, but doesn't show its workers are paid and treated fairly.
Last researched 3 November 2026 · 6 sources
British brand of organic herbal and green teas.
We couldn't confirm where Heath & Heather 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.
Better-graded tea
Graded higher than Heath & Heather, selling the same kinds of things.
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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 Heath & Heather'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 Heath & Heather 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).
Research notes Heath & Heather's whole range of about 45 blends is organic, but it does not say where its herbs and teas are grown or name any suppliers. It holds no Fairtrade or Rainforest Alliance certification. Its owner Typhoo said in 2022 that all its tea came from Rainforest Alliance, Fairtrade or organic sources, but that statement does not cover herbal ingredients and predates Supreme's December 2024 takeover; Typhoo black tea suppliers in India and Uganda have been linked to unpaid and low wages. In Australia it is distributed by Ceres Organics and wholesaler Pemco to health food stores.
What independent sources say
| Source | Result | Details |
|---|---|---|
| UK Modern Slavery Statement Registry | Unclear | Typhoo's latest published modern slavery statement covers the year to September 2022, before the Supreme takeover, and does not mention Heath & Heather or herbal teas. View |
| Fairtrade (incl. FLOCERT and Fairtrade ANZ) | Not listed | No Fairtrade certification is shown for the Heath & Heather range; its products are labelled organic only. View |
| Business & Human Rights Resource Centre | Not listed | No allegations name Heath & Heather; the Centre's Typhoo profile records tea estate cases tied to Typhoo's black tea suppliers. View |
Sources and actions
Sources 6
Show all 6 sources
- Typhoo acquired from administration (The Caterer) · search the archive · Supreme plc bought Typhoo out of administration for 10.2m pounds in December 2024
- Heath & Heather converts entire range to organic (Natural Products) · search the archive · Whole range now organic; about 45 blends of herbal, green, white, rooibos and chai; no sourcing or Fairtrade details
- Typhoo launch the Heath & Heather brand in convenience (Better Retailing, 2017) · search the archive · Heath & Heather is a Typhoo brand, previously sold only through Holland & Barrett
- Heath & Heather Organic Soft & Sleepy Night Time Tea - Ceres Organics · search the archive · Listed by Australian organic distributor Ceres Organics
- Heath and Heather Organic Soft & Sleepy - Pemco Agencies · search the archive · Stocked by an Australian wholesale distributor supplying shops
Published by Heath & Heather or its owner
- Typhoo Modern Slavery Statement (FY2022) · search the archive · All Typhoo tea from RA, Fairtrade or Soil Association sources; no mention of Heath & Heather or herbals
Company details
- Headquarters
- United Kingdom
- Last researched
- 3 November 2026
- Cite this page
- Labour Lens, "Is Heath & Heather ethical? Labour rating", https://www.labourlens.net/brand/heath-and-heather, last researched 3 November 2026, accessed [date].
- Method
- Researched with AI assistance against published rules. How we check · What Lacks transparency means
Something missing or wrong?
Grades are opinions based on the evidence listed here. Send us evidence, or a right of reply if you represent Heath & Heather.