Aldi has given details of five changes it has made in an effort to become more sustainable. From banning single-use plastic on its own-brand packaging to addressing water waste, Aldi said the changes were part of its commitment to reduce its environmental footprint.
Liz Fox, corporate responsibility director at Aldi UK, said: “We know that our customers want to make more environmentally-friendly choices while doing their weekly shop, which is why we are always looking for new and innovative ways to make our business greener. Whether that be reducing our plastic packaging or forming new partnerships that enable us to tackle food waste, we’re dedicated to taking steps that positively impact the environment."
Here's what Aldi says it has done recently:
Swapping out plastic packaging
Aldi has recently made changes to several product lines in a bid to further reduce plastic waste, it said. For example, its own-label Foodie Market whole nut snacks range, such as its almond and pistachio lines, have changed from plastic packaging to a paper-based alternative, while the supermarket has also swapped all plastic sleeves around multipacks of tuna to now be made from card, making the packaging fully recyclable at home.
Together, Aldi said these changes would save 202 tonnes of plastic waste from going to landfill each year and they follow previous moves including the introduction of cardboard porridge pots and the removal of shrink wrap from its own-brand multipack beans.
Making it easier to recycle difficult plastics
Aldi recently became the first UK retailer to offer fully recyclable own-label handwash packaging in a bid to further reduce waste. To achieve this, the supermarket has removed the glass and metal components from the pumps, making its handwash packaging fully recyclable at home. As a result, the change will allow more than 200 tonnes of packaging material a year to be more easily recycled, it said.
The supermarket also rolled out recycling bins for soft plastics across almost all of its UK stores last year, meaning customers can now return all types of clean, soft plastic packaging – including crisp packets, salad bags, bread bags and carrier bags – regardless of where the items were bought.
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Saving energy
Aldi said it had been carbon neutral since January 2019 and continued to introduce new initiatives to save energy. The supermarket has introduced the use of solar panels across all new stores, switching to 100% green electricity, alongside last year launching the trial of an all-electric refrigerated trailer as part of its efforts to reduce its carbon emissions.
As part of its move to become more sustainable, the supermarket will also be implementing more efficient fridges and lights to all of its new stores, as well as chiller doors and air source heat pumps. Not only are these measures estimated to save the equivalent of 1,370 tonnes of carbon each year, they will also save on energy costs too, meaning the supermarket can continue to keep its prices low for customers, it said.
Minimising food waste
In a bid to prevent food from going to waste, Aldi has this year teamed up with Too Good To Go and Company Shop to further tackle food waste. Surplus food that cannot be sold in Aldi stores is now redistributed from Aldi’s network of Regional Distribution Centres via Company Shop, to be sold in its Community Shop stores across the UK at discounted prices. Aldi said this was estimated to prevent around 2,860 tonnes of food from going to waste each year, while also helping those experiencing food insecurity.
Similarly, the supermarket has collaborated with Too Good To Go to create Aldi’s ’Magic Bags’ filled with a range of grocery products that are approaching their sell-by or use-by dates. These offer shoppers a way to save money, with each bag sold at less than a third of the price, costing just £3.30 each to purchase.
The supermarket said it also continued to support community groups and food banks via its partnership with Neighbourly. Aldi said it had donated more than 30million meals since the partnership began in 2019, saving more than 13,000 tonnes of food.
Tackling water waste
Aldi said it had introduced a new water strategy which focuses on how the business can implement sustainable water practices throughout its operations and supply chain. As part of this, the supermarket has signed up to the Courtauld 2030 Water Roadmap, which aims for 50% of the UK's fresh food to be sourced from areas with sustainable water management.
By working with stakeholders, Aldi said it undertakes site audits, benchmarking exercises, leak detections, repair inspections and take on-board efficiency recommendations to continuously improve its environmental impact with regards to water.
