Tetley
Lacks transparency. Publishes some details, but doesn't show its workers are paid and treated fairly.
Last researched 3 November 2026 · 7 sources
Tata-owned British tea brand.
Unsafe working conditions were documented in Tetley's supply chain in 2015, which it has only partly put right.
Better-graded tea
Graded higher than Tetley, 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 2 of 5 Good requirements.
- Holds the grade back: It has 3 red flags: no evidence of a living wage, clear breaches of labour conditions and unaudited production in high-risk countries. Two or more red flags means a poor grade.
- It isn't Harm on record: the most serious problem on its record (unsafe conditions, last recorded in 2015) is more than 5 years old.
- 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 2 of 5
- Not met: Pays a living wage, or holds a strong fair-pay certificationLiving wage: no evidence
- Not met: Respects worker rightsA confirmed problem counts against it: unsafe conditions, last recorded in 2015
- Not met: Supply chain independently audited or certified, or at least 80% made in countries with strong labour standards
- Met: No confirmed child or forced labour findings or linksAn unconfirmed report of child labour is listed below. It doesn't affect the grade.
- Met: Names the factories or farms that make its products, or is fully certified by a scheme that holds and audits that listNames its suppliers
Red flags 3
- Red flag: No evidence it pays a living wage
- Red flag: Clear breaches of labour conditions
- Red flag: Made partly in countries with poor worker rights, without a full independent audit of its supply chain
| Star | Awarded for |
|---|---|
| Finds and fixes problems, or invests in communities |
Stars only show on Good companies. About stars
Where its tea is grown
From Tetley's own disclosure: it names its suppliers.
| Country | Share | Worker rights | Legal minimum wage | Forced labour risk |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kenya | 42% | Systematic violations | Well below a living wage | Moderate |
| India | Not given | No guarantee of rights | Well below a living wage | High |
| Sri Lanka | Not given | Systematic violations | Well below a living wage | Moderate |
| China | Not given | No guarantee of rights | Below a living wage | Moderate |
| Malawi | 12% | Strong protections | Far 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) Source
- Publishes supplier list
- Modern slavery statement
- Invests in worker and farming communities
Research notes Tetley's UK business buys about 32 million kg of tea a year from over 350 suppliers; Kenya supplies about 42% and Malawi 12%, with the rest from countries including India, Sri Lanka and China. All Tetley tea is Rainforest Alliance certified, a standard that is weak on wages. It publishes a list of producers it has bought from and is a founding member of the Ethical Tea Partnership. It funds solar lamps and savings groups on Malawian estates but has no published living wage commitment or wage data.
What independent sources say
| Source | Result | Details |
|---|---|---|
| Fairtrade (incl. FLOCERT and Fairtrade ANZ) | Unclear | Tetley relies on Rainforest Alliance rather than Fairtrade for its tea. View |
| UK Modern Slavery Statement Registry | Listed | Tata Consumer Products GB publishes a UK slavery and human trafficking statement for the year to March 2025, covering Tetley and teapigs. View |
| Australian Modern Slavery Register | Not listed | No Australian modern slavery statement for Tetley was identified. View |
| Business & Human Rights Resource Centre | Listed | Tracks the 2015 BBC Assam investigation, 2021 Malawi sexual abuse claims and the 2025 ABC Sri Lanka investigation, all naming Tetley. View |
Confirmed issues 1
Only confirmed problems are listed, and old ones drop off after 10 to 15 years. A problem the company has fully put right no longer counts against it, and nor does one it finds and is fixing itself. How problems are counted
| Last recorded | What happened | Made amends? |
|---|---|---|
| 2015 | A 2015 BBC investigation found broken housing, poor sanitation and workers handling agrochemicals without protective equipment on McLeod Russel estates in Assam, India, that supplied Tetley; McLeod Russel admitted the conditions were not acceptable. Source · search the archive | PartlyTetley, PG Tips and Twinings committed to work with the estates, and Tata cited its Ethical Tea Partnership monitoring. No compensation for workers was reported. |
Unconfirmed reports
Credible reports that haven't been confirmed by a regulator, completed investigation or the company. They're shown for your information and don't affect the grade.
- In 2021, 36 Malawian women settled UK High Court claims of rape and sexual harassment on Eastern Produce Malawi tea estates, a named Tetley supplier; the owner, Camellia, paid compensation and set up an independently monitored grievance mechanism without admitting liability. Source
- In 2021 women workers sued Lujeri Tea Estates in Malawi, listed as a Tetley supplier, alleging systemic sexual harassment, coercion and rape; Tetley temporarily suspended supplies pending an investigation. Source
- A 2025 ABC Foreign Correspondent investigation found low wages, poor housing and child labour on certified Sri Lankan tea estates; Tetley said one tea it sells in Australia contains Sri Lankan tea and that it was reviewing its traceability. Source
Sources and actions
Sources 7
Show all 7 sources
- BHRRC: BBC investigates inhumane working conditions in tea plantations in Assam · search the archive · 2015 BBC investigation linked McLeod Russel Assam estates to Tetley; joint brand statement on improving estates; Tata response.
- BHRRC: Malawi women claim systemic sex abuse on tea plantations owned by British brand suppliers · search the archive · 2021 claim against Lujeri Tea Estates, listed as a supplier by Tetley; Tetley temporarily suspended supplies.
- BHRRC: Sri Lanka low wages and child labour on Rainforest Alliance certified tea estates (ABC, 2025) · search the archive · March 2025 ABC investigation of certified Sri Lankan estates; Tetley and Tata response on Sri Lankan volume and traceability.
- Leigh Day: settlement of claims against the Camellia group (Malawi) · search the archive · February 2021 settlement with 36 women employed by Eastern Produce Malawi; compensation and monitored grievance mechanism; no admission.
Published by Tetley or its owner
- Tata Consumer Products GB slavery and human trafficking statement FY2024-25 · search the archive · 32m kg of tea from 350+ suppliers; Kenya about 42%, Malawi 12%, rest incl. India; Tetley teas 100% Rainforest Alliance; no living wage commitment.
- Tetley sustainability report 2022 · search the archive · Sources from 20+ countries incl. Kenya, Sri Lanka, India and China; largest buyer in Malawi; names Eastern Produce Malawi and Satemwa as suppliers.
- Tetley: Our suppliers · search the archive · Publishes a list of all producers it has sourced tea from; 100% of UK tea from certified producers.
Company details
- Owned by
- Tata Consumer Products
- Headquarters
- United Kingdom
- Last researched
- 3 November 2026
- Cite this page
- Labour Lens, "Is Tetley ethical? Labour rating", https://www.labourlens.net/brand/tetley, 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 Tetley.