Budgens

Is Budgens an ethical supermarket brand?

Owned by Tesco Plc, Budgens is sadly a below-benchmark brand within the Ethical Supermarkets sector, due to its low score. Due to its low score, Budgens, unfortunately, cannot yet be classed as one of The Good Shopping Guide’s ethical supermarket brands.

We still encourage Budgens to apply for Ethical Accreditation even though it has not yet met our minimum Ethical Benchmark. The Good Shopping Guide would provide Budgens with a thorough evaluation and some suggestions on how it can improve its brand.

To find out how other well-known brands within the Ethical Supermarkets sector compare against Budgens, you can visit the Supermarkets Ethical Ratings Table. Our Ratings Table can help you to find out more about the criteria that a brand must meet before it can reach our minimum Ethical Benchmark.

Before submitting an application for Ethical Accreditation, The Good Shopping Guide encourages all brands to follow the lead set by our top-rated brands and introduce more ethical practices.

What does Budgens receive a top rating for?

The Good Shopping Guide awards Budgens with a top rating for its Environmental Report. Budgens’ parent brand Tesco has a Sustainability Page which shares details on its targets and progress. Some of its targets include reducing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and becoming carbon neutral.

Tesco also has a Climate section within its most recent Annual Report. This provides more information on its carbon reduction targets, greenhouse gas emissions and its plans for achieving these goals.

What does Budgens receive a bottom rating for?

Budgens receives a bottom score for The Good Shopping Guide’s Human Rights category. During the Covid-19 pandemic, Bugden’s parent company Tesco were accused of putting financial pressure on staff to come to work after they cut the right to extra sick leave for those affected by the virus.

Bev Clarkson, the national officer for the union Unite, said: “By scrapping their Covid absence policies, Sainsbury’s and Tesco are encouraging infected staff who are worried about being off to go into work, putting other workers and customers at risk.”

What can Budgens do to improve its score?

Bugden’s below-benchmark score on The Good Shopping Guide’s Supermarkets Ethical Ratings Table is the result of a calculation of multiple ethical criteria.

Even though it currently has a below benchmark score, The Good Shopping Guide still encourages Budgens to get in touch and apply for Ethical Accreditation. By doing so, we can offer it some guidance on how to improve and become one of our most ethical supermarket brands.

Could your Supermarket brand benefit from Ethical Accreditation? The Good Shopping Guide’s Ratings Tables displays which other brands within the Ethical Supermarkets sector have received The Good Shopping Guide’s accreditation. If you would like more information, contact us or fill out a rapid initial sustainability assessment form.