Labour Lens

salt&pepper

Lacks transparency

Lacks transparency. Publishes some details, but doesn't show its workers are paid and treated fairly.

Homewares, furniture & appliances

Partly verified: what this means

Based on what salt&pepper publishes, with few independent checks. It doesn't say where its products are made, so we use where its industry usually makes them. Researched with AI assistance against published rules. Last researched 3 November 2026 · 5 sources · How we check

Melbourne dinnerware and glassware brand, owned by Global Retail Brands.

We couldn't confirm where salt&pepper makes most of its tableware, kitchenware and home decor.

Also worth knowing

Most homewares and appliances are made in countries such as China and Vietnam, where pay is usually below a living wage.

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Why it's graded Lacks transparency

Meets 2 of 6 Good requirements, with 2 red flags.Open why it has this gradeClose why it has this grade
  • Not met: Meets 2 of 6 Good requirements.
  • Holds the grade back: It has 2 red flags: no evidence of a living wage and a hidden, unaudited supply chain, 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 2 of 6

  • Not met: Pays a living wage, or holds a strong fair-pay certificationLiving wage: no evidence
  • Not met: Respects worker rightsWhere homewares and appliances are usually made, such as China and India, 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
  • Met: High-risk raw materials (timber) traced or certified, or not a major part of its rangeOnly in a few products: timber

Red flags 2

  • Red flag: No evidence it pays a living wage
  • Red flag: Hidden supply chain, probably mostly in countries with poor worker rights

Stars it would earn as Good

None yet. Stars only show on Good companies. About stars

Where it's made

Not confirmed
Where its industry usually makes its goods: China 50%, Vietnam 15%, India 10% and 3 more countries.Open where it's madeClose where it's made

We couldn't confirm where salt&pepper makes most of its products, so this shows where homewares and appliances are usually made.

Where it's made, share by country, and conditions there
CountryShareWorker rightsLegal minimum wageForced labour risk
China50%No guarantee of rightsBelow a living wageModerate
Vietnam15%Systematic violationsWell below a living wageModerate
India10%No guarantee of rightsWell below a living wageHigh
Poland10%Regular violationsClose to a living wageModerate
Indonesia8%No guarantee of rightsWell below a living wageModerate
Malaysia7%No guarantee of rightsBelow a living wageModerate

Evidence

1 thing we found and what 3 independent sources say.Open the evidenceClose the evidence

What we found

  • Uses timber in only a few products, so the raw-material check doesn't hold it back for Good. It doesn't show where its timber comes from. The "Open supply chain" star needs all of it traced, certified or upcycled.

Research notes salt&pepper, bought by Global Retail Brands (owner of House and Robins Kitchen) in April 2025, says it designs its own products but does not say where they are made or name its factories, and its website has no ethical sourcing page. Its range is mostly ceramics, glass and metal, with some wooden serving boards (such as acacia) of undisclosed timber origin. No supplier code, audit results or living wage commitment is published, and no labour abuse reports involving the brand have been found.

What independent sources say

SourceResultDetails
Australian Modern Slavery RegisterCouldn't confirmNo modern slavery statement covering salt&pepper was found; owner Global Retail Brands' statement on the register predates its 2025 purchase. View
Baptist World Aid Ethical Fashion ReportAnother organisation's ratingNot assessedNot assessed in Baptist World Aid's Ethical Fashion or Electronics reports, which do not cover tableware brands. View
Business & Human Rights Resource CentreCouldn't confirmNo labour allegations against salt&pepper or Bambis appear in Business & Human Rights Resource Centre reporting. View

Sources and actions

5 sources, company details, and how to send evidence or a right of reply.Open the sources and company detailsClose the sources and company details

Sources 5

Show all 5 sources
  1. Steven Lew expands Global Retail Brands with acquisition of Salt&Pepper (The Nightly, 2025) · search the archive · Global Retail Brands bought salt&pepper's retail, online and wholesale operations in April 2025; 25 stores, 220 staff
  2. salt&pepper opens first Canberra store at Westfield Woden (Canberra Times) · search the archive · Family company launched in Melbourne in 1995; 25th Australian store; also sold at Myer and stockists
  3. salt&pepper Acquired by Global Retail Brands (Power Retail, 2025) · search the archive · Deal to complete 15 April 2025; all 25 stores retained; plan to grow to 65 stores
  4. Salt&Pepper Industry board bench saver (Harvey Norman) · search the archive · Acacia wood board in the range; no country of manufacture stated

Published by salt&pepper or its owner

  1. Our story - salt&pepper · search the archive · Brand designs and creates its own products; over 30 years in business; no production locations given

Company details

Headquarters
Australia
Employees
About 220
Last researched
3 November 2026
Cite this page
Labour Lens, "Is salt&pepper ethical? Labour rating", https://www.labourlens.net/brand/salt-and-pepper, 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?

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