PG Tips

Is PG Tips an ethical tea brand?

PG Tips is a British tea brand that was founded in 1869 in Manchester and has been owned by CVC Capital Partners since 2021. The brand produces a variety of tea including decaffeinated, loose and extra strong.

Unfortunately, PG Tips receives a below-benchmark score in The Good Shopping Guide’s Ethical Tea Ratings Table and therefore does not meet our requirements to be considered ethical.

The Ethical Tea Ratings Table shows how well PG Tips rates against other tea brands, or read our article on Ethical Tea for more information about the ethical issues within the industry.

In which areas does PG Tips perform well?

PG Tips receives a top rating in the Nuclear Power and Armaments categories. This is because neither the brand nor its parent company has been linked to these industries.

In which areas does PG Tips perform poorly?

Unfortunately, PG Tips does not have any organic or Fairtrade products. As a result, the brand receives a bottom rating in the Organic and Fairtrade categories.

PG Tips also receives a bottom rating in the Fossil Fuels criterion, due to its parent company, CVC Capital Partners, being involved in energy generation from fossil fuels.

What can PG Tips do to improve its score? 

PG Tips’ score is the result of the calculation of multiple ethical criteria by The Good Shopping Guide. If PG Tips were to improve in certain areas, it could eventually meet our ethical benchmark. For instance, we recommend PG Tips introduces Fairtrade and organic certified products into its range, which would see its score increase.

Do you run or work for a tea company? Does your ethical tea company genuinely care about the Environment, Animals and People? Do you want to acquire our esteemed Ethical Accreditation and personalised guidance on how to enhance the ethics of your business? Consumers trust brands with a track record of taking sustainability and ethics into account; get listed on our Ethical Ratings Tables and cut through all the greenwash. To begin, contact us or complete our initial assessment form.