Pukka Ethics Record: The Timeline

Pukka Ethics Record: The Timeline

Pukka's ethics record, 2001 to now: organic from day one, Fair for Life certified, bought by Unilever in 2017, and no longer a B Corp since 2024.

Published 16 Apr 2026 Curator-written, not crowdsourced

Pukka ethics record, in summary: Organic from day one (2001), Fair for Life certified sourcing, acquired by Unilever in 2017, and a B Corp until 2024, when it lost the certification after being integrated into Lipton Teas and Infusions. A real ethics-led record with that gap, and Pukka is largely herbal tisane rather than true tea.

Pukka is built around an organic, ethical identity, so here are the documented facts. This sits in the brand-history cluster beside Clipper ethics record.

Explore in our shop: Pukka Organic Herbal Collection, 20 Tea Bags 34.4g.

Last reviewed by the teas.co.uk team in September 2026.

Origins and organic identity

Pukka was founded in 2001 by Tim Westwell and Sebastian Pole, focused on organic herbal and ayurvedic-style blends, the category the herbal tea guide covers. Organic certification and fairly traded herbs are central, verifiable parts of the brand rather than just marketing language: Pukka lists Soil Association organic, Fair for Life and FairWild certification (Pukka's certifications). Pukka was also a certified B Corp, last recertified in 2019, but B Lab confirmed in April 2024 that it is no longer one, after Pukka was fully integrated into Lipton Teas and Infusions (The Grocer, 12 April 2024).

The record at a glance

Area	The documented fact
Founded	2001, by Tim Westwell and Sebastian Pole
Organic	Organic certified from the start
Fair for Life	All its teas, with at least 20% of the herbs in each blend from Fair for Life certified farms or an equivalent standard
B Corp	Certified B Corp, last recertified in 2019; no longer a B Corp since 2024
Ownership	Acquired by Unilever in 2017; part of Lipton Teas and Infusions since 2022, and fully integrated into it in late 2023
Category	Largely herbal tisane, not true Camellia sinensis tea

The ledgers, kept separate

As with any "ethical" brand, the careful reading keeps separate things apart. The organic and Fair for Life record is real and checkable. Ownership is a separate ledger, but here it reached the ethics: after Pukka was fully integrated into Lipton Teas and Infusions, it lost its B Corp certification in 2024, the context the ownership map gives. There is also a category caveat: Pukka is largely a herbal tisane, not true tea, so its record is real but it belongs in the herbal aisle rather than the Camellia sinensis one, the distinction the what counts as tea guide makes. And documented ethics say nothing about how much you will enjoy a given blend, the point the is Pukka good page makes.

Common questions

How ethical is Pukka, really? On the documented record, its organic and Fair for Life certifications are verifiable. It is no longer a B Corp: it lost the certification in 2024.

Did the change of ownership affect that? In one way, yes. After Pukka was fully integrated into Lipton Teas and Infusions in late 2023, B Lab confirmed in April 2024 that Pukka Herbs is no longer a B Corp (The Grocer, 12 April 2024). Its organic and Fair for Life certifications are separate schemes and still appear on its packs.

Is Pukka actually tea? Mostly not. It is largely a herbal tisane rather than true Camellia sinensis tea, so it sits in the herbal category.

Does its ethics record mean I will like it? No. Ethics and taste are separate. Strong credentials do not guarantee the blend you prefer.

Judge ethics and the cup

Explore Pukka's organic herbal blends across the brand directory or the full tea shop, and compare it on the wider ethical scorecard. Weigh Pukka's two ledgers separately; UK delivery is free above £35.

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