Pret a Manger

How ethical is Pret a Manger?

Pret a Manger is a coffee shop chain which has a below-benchmark score on The Good Shopping Guide’s Ethical Coffee Shops Ratings Table. Although Pret a Manger has not yet met our ethical benchmark, we hope to see the brand make progress in the future.

We would have extra confidence in Pret a Manger if it submitted itself to apply for Ethical Accreditation, whereby The Good Shopping Guide would make further detailed assessment and recommendations for ethical improvement. Find out more about the ethical issues facing the Ethical Coffee Shops sector.

What does Pret a Manger do?

Pret a Manger (French for ‘ready to eat’) is a British coffee and sandwich shop franchise with its headquarters in London, which was launched in 1983 and now has 434 shops nationwide.

In which areas does Pret a Manger perform poorly?

Pret a Manger receives a bottom rating for Animal Welfare, as Coty, a subsidiary of Pret a Manger’s parent company JAB Holding Company, conducts testing on animals. Its parent company donated over $1m in recent election cycles which is over our threshold for Political Donations, so Pret a Manger receives a bottom rating here.

Pret a Manger was marked down under our criteria for Fair Trade as it does not have any certification, and for GM as it has faced criticism in the past for its use of GM soya. Find out more about how we rate by exploring our ethical criteria.

Past Criticisms of Pret a Manger’s record

Pret a Manger has faced a string of criticisms in recent years relating to its use of palm oil, plastic packaging pollution, and human rights abuses.

In which areas does Pret a Manger score well for its ethics?

Pret a Manger has a coffee blend which is certified by The Soil Association, so scores well for our Organic criterion. Pret a Manger scores well for its Reusable Cup Scheme. We found no criticisms relating to Nuclear, Fossil Fuels, or Armaments, so Pret a Manger scores well for these criteria.

How can Pret a Manger improve its ethical rating?

The below-benchmark score that Pret a Manger is awarded with on The Good Shopping Guide’s Ethical Coffee Shops Ratings Table is the result of an evaluation of multiple ethical criteria.

To reach our minimum ethical benchmark and qualify for Ethical Accreditation, Pret a Manger has some issues to resolve, including its use of GM ingredients and an insufficient Environmental Report. If it applies for Ethical Accreditation, The Good Shopping Guide will be able to give Pret a Manger some guidance to improve on these areas.

Were you aware that your brand could benefit from Ethical Accreditation? Brands accredited by The Good Shopping Guide can display our Ethical Mark, showcasing to consumers that it is an ethical and sustainable brand. If you’re interested in learning more, please contact us or complete a Free Initial Assessment form.