Ethical Coffee Shops
See our Ethical Coffee Shops Ratings Table to compare brands
What are the ethical issues for the UK’s leading coffee shop brands?
Coffee shop brands are big business in the UK, with the biggest chains, Costa and Starbucks, boasting over 2,600 and 1,000 stores, respectively. But conscious consumers now want to know if their favourite coffee shop brands are ethical. Unfortunately, many coffee shop brands are involved in unethical practices that have a negative impact on the Environment, Animals, and People.
However, there are many options for ethical coffee shops, including large chains and local coffee shops you can find in your area. Our Ethical Coffee Shops Ratings Table shows you which companies are leading the way in sustainability, and those that are trailing behind, so you can make an informed decision on which brand to choose.
Is coffee ethically produced?
One of the key issues amongst many coffee shop brands is animal welfare. Many coffee shops purchase their meat from suppliers involved in factory farming and animal abuse. We firmly believe that cruel treatment of farm animals is unacceptable, and we encourage you to expect more from the companies you purchase from.
Your favourite coffee shop brands could also be involved in harmful environmental practices. In 2018, the Environmental Audit Committee found that the UK alone throws away 2.5 billion disposable coffee cups every year, with less than 1% of them being recycled! This leads to a concerning amount of waste that either goes into landfill or the oceans, damaging important ecosystems and devastating our planet.
Our research: how the UK’s top coffee shop brands perform on ethics and sustainability
The Good Shopping Guide’s latest research into the coffee shops reveals that some of the UK’s leading coffee shop brands are continuing to underperform on animal welfare standards.
For instance, the Business Benchmark on Farm Animal Welfare (BBFAW) gave Starbucks a tier 5 grade for poor animal welfare standards for 9 consecutive years! Starbucks, Tim Hortons, Costa and Pret a Manger have all received a bottom rating under our Animal Welfare criteria. We recommend avoiding these brands if you are concerned about buying from companies that treat animals cruelly.
The good news
To address the waste within the coffee shops industry, you can bring your own reusable cup into your chosen coffee shop and ask them to fill it up. This is a great step in improving the amount of waste produced by single-use coffee cups.
Many coffee shops now offer a discount or an additional loyalty stamp for customers that bring in their own cup. These brands receive a top rating in the Reusable Cup Scheme criterion to reward them for their efforts in encouraging waste reduction.
Coffee shop chains vs local coffee shops
Choosing an ethical coffee shop is the first step in becoming more sustainable. But there are other ways to consume coffee consciously. Firstly, have you considered going to your local coffee shops, rather than a chain store?
Local coffee shops are typically small companies that are run independently, so buying from these independent businesses means you are supporting your local economy.
Many local coffee shops use single-origin, organic, Fairtrade and traceable beans. Their baristas and roasters are often highly knowledgeable about the roasting and growing process, as well as incredibly skilled at creating the perfect cuppa-joe! Head on down to your local coffee shop and ask them about where their roasters are based; often local businesses buy beans that have been roasted nearby, which also supports your local economy! Independent coffee shops are hugely successful now, as the public learn more about the coffee trade.
Vegan milk in coffee
Once you have discovered your favourite ethical coffee shops, you may want to consider making your drinks order more ethical. For instance, why not choose plant milk instead of dairy?
It is now well-known that plant milk is far more ethical and sustainable, both in terms of the environment and animal welfare. Most coffee shop brands, including local coffee shops, now offer a range of different plant milks, such as oat milk, soy milk and almond milk.
See our Ethical Coffee Shops Ratings Table to compare brands
The Good Shopping Guide has researched coffee shop chains so consumers can be better informed about the ethics and sustainability policies of popular brands. Click on any brand name to read more detailed reports on the Environment, Animals and People.
Soho Coffee, AMT Coffee, Greggs, Coffee Republic, Esquires, Caffè Nero, Coffee#1, Caffè Ritazza, Puccino’s, Muffin Break, Starbucks, Costa Coffee, Tim Hortons and Pret a Manger.