Sainsbury’s has thrown its support behind a growing industry-wide push for stronger human rights and environmental oversight in tea supply chains, after confirming it has converted 100% of its black tea sourcing to Fairtrade this year.

The move deepens the supermarket’s 23-year partnership with Fairtrade and aligns the retailer with sector calls for a more resilient, sustainable tea industry.

The announcement comes as Fairtrade campaigners, retailers, brands and MPs gathered outside 10 Downing Street yesterday (10 December) to deliver a petition urging the UK Government to introduce Human Rights and Environmental Due Diligence (HREDD) legislation.

The petition, which was signed by almost 22,000 people and supported by more than 80 MPs and other sector stakeholders, asks for mandatory regulation to address persistent risks in tea supply chains.

Sainsbury’s decision to switch all black tea sourcing to Fairtrade strengthens its sustainability position within a sector facing rising scrutiny over ethics and traceability. The retailer said the shift is part of a broader commitment to support a sustainable tea sector and resilient food system, positioning itself alongside campaigners calling for government to level the playing field through regulation.

The hand-in, held on World Human Rights Day, also included an open letter from more than 250 Kenyan tea farmers and workers calling on UK businesses and policymakers to safeguard their rights amid rising production costs, climate-related crop disruption, and unstable market prices. Kenya supplies the majority of the UK’s tea imports, and Fairtrade warns that without intervention, climate conditions suitable for tea could decline by up to 25% by 2050.

• Introduce HREDD legislation to ensure companies identify, prevent and address human rights and environmental harms.
• Tackle poverty wages, unsafe conditions and exploitation across tea-growing regions, particularly in Kenya.
• Promote collaborative action between government, industry and worker representatives to secure living incomes, climate resilience and fair competition.

The demonstration outside Downing Street brought together Fairtrade representatives, retailers, MPs and celebrity supporters including performer and TV personality Tia Kofi, who joined activists carrying placards designed in a creative workshop by @Teadayblogs.

Marie Rumsby, director of communications and advocacy at the Fairtrade Foundation, said the scale of public and industry support underscored the need for regulatory intervention.

“With over 21,000 signatures, the backing of more than 80 MPs, and support from companies like Clipper and Sainsbury’s, we are urging the UK Government to act now to make tea fairer for the people who grow it,” she said.

The petition hand-in concludes the first year of Fairtrade’s Brew it Fair campaign, which seeks to ensure that the UK tea industry, from growers to retailers, is grounded in fairness, sustainability and respect for the workers who sustain it.

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