Tesco

Is Tesco an ethical supermarket brand?

Tesco, one of the UK’s biggest supermarket brands is unfortunately classed as an unethical supermarket brand within The Good Shopping Guide’s Ethical Supermarkets sector.

We still encourage Tesco to apply for Ethical Accreditation despite it not yet meeting our minimum Ethical Benchmark. The Good Shopping Guide would provide Tesco with a thorough evaluation and some suggestions on how it can improve upon its ethics and sustainability.

To find out how popular UK supermarkets within the Ethical Supermarkets sector compare against Tesco, 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 reach before it can meet our minimum Ethical Benchmark.

Before submitting an application for Ethical Accreditation, The Good Shopping Guide suggests that all brands follow in the footsteps of our top-rated brands and introduce more ethical practices.

What does Tesco receive a top rating for?

Tesco receives a top rating from The Good Shopping Guide under our Environmental Report category. Tesco has a Sustainability Page which includes targets on reducing greenhouse gas emissions (GHG) and becoming carbon neutral. It also shares evidence of progress. Additionally, within its most recent Annual Report, Tesco has a ‘Climate’ section which breaks down its targets in further detail and shares its plans on reaching its sustainability goals.

What does Tesco receive a bottom rating for?

Tesco receives a bottom score for The Good Shopping Guide’s Human Rights category. Business & Human Rights Resource Centre (BHRRC) published a joint research report with Asia Floor Wage Alliance (AFWA) and Society for Labour Development (SLD) on gender-based violence and harassment in garment factories in India.

The report is based on the testimonies of 90 female garment workers employed at 31 factories in India which currently supply, or have recently supplied to a variety of brands including Tesco.

Women from all 31 factories have reported experiences of gender-based violence in the workplace prior to and during the COVID-19 pandemic.

What can Tesco do to improve its score? 

Tesco’s score on The Good Shopping Guide’s Supermarkets Ethical Ratings Table is the result of a calculation of multiple ethical criteria. Even though its below-benchmark score means that Tesco cannot yet be classed as one of the UK’s most sustainable supermarkets, we still encourage it to apply for Ethical Accreditation. The Good Shopping Guide would offer Tesco an assessment and some guidance on how it can improve its score and become one of our most ethical supermarket brands.

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