Labour Lens

Lupicia

Lacks transparency

Lacks transparency. Shows little about where or how its products are made.

Tea

Little disclosed: what this means

Last researched 3 November 2026 · 3 sources

Japanese tea retailer selling over 400 teas.

We couldn't find where Lupicia gets most of its tea, a certification covering its range or a list of its suppliers.

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 Lupicia, selling the same kinds of things.

Trade AidTeaFair trade tea, coffee, chocolateHolds WFTO Guaranteed Fair Trade and publishes its suppliers.GoodGoes Above and Beyond: Gives workers a real voice; Open supply chain; Finds and fixes problems, or invests in communities5 starsDaintree TeaTeaAustralian-grown unblended black teaMakes its products in its own factories in Australia, where legal wages are close to a living wage.GoodGoes Above and Beyond: Open supply chain3 starsNumi Organic TeaTeaOrganic and fair trade teasHolds Fairtrade certification.GoodGoes Above and Beyond: Finds and fixes problems, or invests in communities3 stars

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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.

How grades are decided

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 Lupicia'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

Not confirmed

We couldn't confirm where Lupicia gets most of its tea, so this shows where tea is usually grown.

Where its tea is grown, share by country, and conditions there
CountryShareWorker rightsLegal minimum wageForced labour risk
India30%No guarantee of rightsWell below a living wageHigh
Kenya25%Systematic violationsWell below a living wageModerate
Sri Lanka20%Systematic violationsWell below a living wageModerate
China15%No guarantee of rightsBelow a living wageModerate
Malawi5%Strong protectionsFar below a living wageModerate
Indonesia5%No guarantee of rightsWell below a living wageModerate

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 Lupicia says its teas come from producing regions around the world (for example Wenshan Baozhong oolong from Taiwan) and are processed in Japan, but it publishes no list of origins with shares, no supplier list and no estate names. It states no fair trade, Rainforest Alliance or other social certification, and no human rights policy, audit results or wage information were found. Its only stated compliance claim is meeting Japan's Food Sanitation Law.

What independent sources say

SourceResultDetails
Fairtrade (incl. FLOCERT and Fairtrade ANZ)Not listedLupicia claims no Fairtrade or other fair trade certification for its teas. View
Business & Human Rights Resource CentreNot listedNo BHRRC reports or company responses involving Lupicia were found. View
Australian Modern Slavery RegisterNot listedNo modern slavery statement from Lupicia appears on the Australian register. View

Sources and actions

Sources 3

Show all 3 sources
  1. QV Melbourne: Lupicia Fresh Tea · search the archive · Lupicia store at QV Melbourne selling loose leaf teas, teabags and teaware.
  2. Cooler Insights: Indulge your senses with Lupicia teas · search the archive · Over 400 blends; leaves from many regions worldwide processed in Japan; stores in Japan, US, Taiwan, Australia and Singapore.

Published by Lupicia or its owner

  1. Lupicia: For international visitors · search the archive · Over 140 stores in Japan plus Paris, Melbourne and Hawaii; teas from across the globe; only compliance claim is Japan's Food Sanitation Law.

Company details

Headquarters
Japan
Last researched
3 November 2026
Cite this page
Labour Lens, "Is Lupicia ethical? Labour rating", https://www.labourlens.net/brand/lupicia, 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 Lupicia.

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