Woolworths own brand tea
Partly verifiedWoolworths own brand tea raises serious concerns: workers in the countries tea usually comes from, such as India and Kenya are very unlikely to earn a living wage, and unions and workers' rights are heavily restricted in the countries tea usually comes from, such as India and China, with no independent audits.
Last researched 8 October 2026
Not doing enough. Workers in the supply chain are likely underpaid, unprotected or in danger, and in the worst cases face forced or child labour. Look for a better-graded alternative. What this grade means
Good: 1 of 5
- Pays a living wage
- Respects worker rights
- Full supply chain audit, or made only in countries with rigorous labour standards
- No child or forced labour findings
- Publishes where its products are made (supplier list, named farms or its own factories)
Great: 0 of 3
- Pays beyond a living wage
- Finds and fixes problems, or invests directly in workers' communities
- Actively empowers workers
Needs all Good requirements plus two of these.
Red flags: 2
- Does not pay a living wage
- Hidden or unaudited supply chain (no certification or documentation, or major production in countries with poor worker rights without independent audits)
Where it's made: not disclosed
Showing where tea products are usually made instead.
| Country | Worker rights | Legal wages | Forced labour risk |
|---|---|---|---|
| India 30% | Systematic violations | Well below a living wage | High |
| Kenya 25% | Regular violations | Well below a living wage | Moderate |
| Sri Lanka 20% | Regular violations | Well below a living wage | Moderate |
| China 15% | Systematic violations | Below a living wage | Moderate |
| Malawi 5% | Some protections | Far below a living wage | Moderate |
| Indonesia 5% | Systematic violations | Well below a living wage | Moderate |
Country conditions from the ITUC Global Rights Index, Global Slavery Index and living wage benchmarks. Certifications and audits can raise a company above its countries' baseline.
Why this grade
- 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)
- Rainforest Alliance: Audited farm standard with no minimum price; weaker on wages than Fairtrade.
- Modern slavery statement
Woolworths Group requires own-brand tea to come from independently certified sources such as Fairtrade or Rainforest Alliance, and its Essentials black teabags carry the Rainforest Alliance seal. The packs say only 'packed in Australia from imported ingredients', and the countries where the tea is grown are not disclosed. Woolworths ranked first in KnowTheChain's 2026 food and beverage benchmark and reports wage repayments to supply chain workers, but it publishes supplier lists only for apparel and general merchandise, not for tea.
What independent sources say
| Source | Result | Details |
|---|---|---|
| Australian Modern Slavery Register | Found | Woolworths Group lodges annual joint modern slavery statements, most recently for F25. View ↗ |
| KnowTheChain | Found | Ranked 1st of 45 companies with 56/100 in the 2026 KnowTheChain Food & Beverage Benchmark. View ↗ |
| US Department of Labor goods lists | Unclear | Tea from India (forced labour) and Kenya (child labour) is on the US DOL list, but the origin of Woolworths own-brand tea is not disclosed. View ↗ |
| Fairtrade (incl. FLOCERT and Fairtrade ANZ) | Not listed | Own-brand Essentials teabags carry Rainforest Alliance rather than Fairtrade certification. View ↗ |
| Business & Human Rights Resource Centre | Not listed | No allegations about Woolworths own-brand tea were identified. View ↗ |
Sources (7)
- POL.020 Policy – Net-Zero Deforestation: Tea, Coffee, Soy and Cane Sugar Sourcing V7 (Woolworths Group) · archived copy · Own-brand tea must be independently certified, such as Fairtrade or Rainforest Alliance
- Woolworths – Find certified products (Rainforest Alliance) · archived copy · Woolworths tea and coffee listed as Rainforest Alliance certified
- Woolworths Essentials Black Tea Bags 100 pack · archived copy · Rainforest Alliance certified tea; packed in Australia from imported ingredients; growing country not stated
- Human rights (Woolworths Group) · archived copy · Supplier lists published for BIG W apparel/general merchandise and Woolworths apparel only; Supplier Speak Up grievance channel; $2.1M repaid to 1,500+ supply chain workers F21–F25
- Woolworths Group Modern Slavery Statement F25 (Australian Modern Slavery Register) · archived copy · F25 joint statement: 1,085 supplier site audits, no zero-tolerance findings, about $506,000 repaid to 200+ workers
- KnowTheChain 2026 Food & Beverage Scorecard: Woolworths Group · archived copy · Scored 56/100 and ranked 1st of 45; does not publish a first-tier supplier list
- List of Goods Produced by Child Labor or Forced Labor (US DOL) · archived copy · Tea from India listed for forced labour; tea from Kenya listed for child labour
Last researched 8 October 2026 · details still being verified. Grades are opinions based on the evidence listed here. Represent this company and think something is wrong? A right-of-reply form is coming soon.