Little’s

How ethical is Little’s?

Little’s is a coffee brand which has achieved The GOOD Shopping Guide’s ethical benchmark on our Ethical Coffee Ratings Table. With a score of 69 out of 100, Little’s demonstrates a commitment to ethical and sustainable business practices across several criteria, though its score sits close to the benchmark threshold and several areas present opportunities for improvement.

Little’s has not yet received The GOOD Shopping Guide’s Ethical Accreditation, an editorial endorsement awarded to brands which achieve a high ethical score across our multi-criteria assessment. Receiving this endorsement would strengthen the brand’s standing as a recognised ethical choice for consumers in the coffee sector.

What does Little’s do?

Little’s is an independent, second-generation family business based in Devon, originally founded in Finland. The company produces a range of flavoured instant coffees, grounds, and Nespresso-compatible capsules using Arabica beans infused with natural extracts. Little’s is the first instant coffee brand in UK supermarkets to use entirely plastic-free packaging, with glass jars and aluminium lids manufactured in the UK. Products are vegan-friendly, contain no added sugar, and are stocked in major UK retailers including Tesco, Sainsbury’s, Waitrose, and Ocado.

Why does Little’s perform well ethically?

Little’s achieves good ratings across the majority of criteria assessed by The GOOD Shopping Guide. The brand receives good ratings for environmental reporting and fossil fuels, reflecting its commitment to environmental transparency and energy practices. Little’s receives good ratings for animal welfare, armaments, irresponsible marketing, and political donations, and has no documented public record criticisms. As an independent, family-run business manufacturing its products in the UK, Little’s operates without the corporate governance concerns that can affect larger multinational brands.

What could improve Little’s ethical positioning?

Little’s receives a poor rating for Fairtrade. The brand sources its coffee from producers including the Antioquia region of Colombia but does not hold Fairtrade certification. In the coffee sector, Fairtrade certification provides consumers with independent assurance of fair pay and working conditions for farmers and producers. Pursuing Fairtrade certification would strengthen the brand’s ethical sourcing credentials and address this gap.

Little’s also receives a poor rating for organic ingredients. While the brand uses high-quality 100% Arabica beans and natural flavouring extracts, its products do not carry organic certification. Pursuing organic certification for relevant product lines would bring this rating in line with the stronger performance demonstrated across other environmental criteria.

Obtaining The GOOD Shopping Guide’s Ethical Accreditation would provide editorial recognition of Little’s ethical standards and make it easier for consumers to identify the brand as an editorially endorsed choice in the coffee sector.

Consumers seeking coffee brands with stronger overall ethical credentials are encouraged to consult our Ethical Coffee Ratings Table to compare alternatives. Our how we rate page explains the criteria used to assess all brands in this sector.