CLOSING THE GAP ONE BREW AT A TIME: LIDL GB LAUNCHES INDUSTRY FIRST LIVING INCOME TEA

• Lidl GB is the first UK retailer to pay a Fairtrade living income reference price in the Kenyan tea sector, launching its new 'Way To Go!' Single Origin Kenyan Tea.
• Landing in stores this month during Fairtrade Fortnight, each purchase contributes to closing the living income gap for tea farmers in Kenya.
• The launch builds on Lidl’s retailer-first 2020 Human Rights Impact Assessment (HRIA) on Kenyan tea, taking action to support supply chain transparency and due diligence.
• Retailing at £1.99 for a pack of 80 bags, the tea bag is made from 100% biodegradable, compostable plant-based fibres.

September 2026- Marking Fairtrade Fortnight, Lidl GB is launching a British retailer-first product with its new Way To Go! Tea - the first in the UK designed to directly support closing the living income gap for Kenyan tea growers.

Through Lidl GB’s Fairtrade tea, farmers in Kenya earn the Fairtrade Minimum Price for tea, and The Fairtrade Premium, an extra sum of money for farmers to invest in their farms and communities. On top of that, the Way to Go! Tea is the first of its kind, working closely with Fairtrade, to calculate a Living Income Reference Price for tea farmers and is paying an additional amount per kg of tea to go towards supporting farmer livelihoods.

In Britain, around 100 million cups of tea are drunk every single day. While standard certifications provide vital protections for tea-growing communities, achieving a true living income remains an industry-wide hurdle. This new launch is designed to build on Lidl GB's existing 100% certified own-brand tea commitment, exploring how targeted premiums can directly support closing the living income gap for smallholders.

This launch is the latest step in Lidl GB’s long-term ethical sourcing strategy. Lidl GB were the first retailer to conduct a Human Rights Impact Assessment (HRIA) focused on Kenyan tea. As part of the action plan resulting from this, the discounter pledged to support systemic change in the tea sector by working towards living wages and incomes.

Holly Bleach, Senior Buying Director at Lidl GB, said: “Through this new product we’re aiming to make a real difference to the everyday lives of Kenyan farmers. Every brew represents the hard work of a farmer and their family, and, as a responsible business, we believe that work must be rewarded fairly. By paying a living income premium directly to growers, we are helping these farmers secure the stable future they’ve earned.”

Kerrina Thorogood, Partnerships Director at the Fairtrade Foundation, said: "We're delighted that Lidl will be going beyond the Fairtrade Minimum Price and Fairtrade Premium with its new Way To Go! tea, committing to pay smallholder tea farmers in Kericho, Kenya, an additional amount on every kilogram of tea it buys, tailored to reflect local living income needs. This commitment to helping close the living income gap is a significant and very welcome step towards fair pay for tea growers.

Fair pay is fundamental to the future of the tea sector. Today, just one in five tea farmers in Kenya earns enough income each month to support their families with the essentials. As a result, many struggle to invest in their farms, adapt to climate change, and plan for the future. Addressing this challenge requires businesses to take responsibility for the prices they pay.

We welcome Lidl's commitment - and this new approach to living income in tea - as an important addition to the substantial efforts already underway by Fairtrade partners across the tea sector. We hope it will encourage others to follow suit. Meaningful change for the people who grow our tea still requires more businesses to step up and increase their sourcing of Fairtrade tea. We need action at sector level scale to move towards fairer pay and close the living income gap for tea farmers and workers."

For over 16 years, Lidl has partnered with Fairtrade, a commitment that spans over 100 certified products throughout the year. Last year alone through Lidl Fairtrade sales, producers earned over £1.9million in Fairtrade Premium, an extra sum of money invested in areas such as farming improvements and community initiatives of their choice.

Across Lidl GB's tea range, the discounter has reached a major milestone in its strategic partnership with WWF by achieving its ambitious tea certification target. Today, 100% of the raw material across Lidl GB’s own-brand tea range - including all private-label black, green, and rooibos teas - is certified by Rainforest Alliance or Fairtrade standards. This achievement reinforces the discounter’s long-standing commitment to human rights and responsible sourcing, following the successful fulfilment of all its 2025 raw material goals.

Lidl GB’s new Way To Go! Single Origin Kenyan Tea lands in stores nationwide at the end of September, priced at £1.99 for 80 bags. The tea bags will be made from 100% plant based fibres and so are biodegradable and suitable for composting.

ENDS

Notes to editors

What is a living income?

• The minimum income level needed for a household to afford a decent standard of living
• Relative to country/ regional context
• Low incomes exacerbates risk of other salient human rights issues, e.g. child labour and modern slavery