Every country in the ALDI SOUTH Group has taken steps to reduce its impact on the environment - especially when it comes to the reduction of plastics and packaging. We wanted to share some recent stories from our national markets on how they are tackling the challenge.
In October 2020, ALDI Australia published its first ‘Plastics and Packaging Progress Report’, which outlines their progress towards their nine plastics and packaging commitments. To help ALDI Australia achieve this they have committed to removing all problematic single use plastic products such as cotton buds and plastic tableware from shelves; reformulating the packaging of exclusive brands to be 100% recyclable, reusable or compostable by 2025; and switching to FSC, PEFC or 70% recycled material for their paper and pulp-based product packaging by 2025. By replacing plastic tableware with fibre based materials already 322 tons of plastic have already been avoided which would have otherwise ended up on landfills.
ALDI Ireland is waving goodbye to black plastic for their core food products. They are excited to be the first retailer in Ireland to remove almost 30 million black plastic trays from the core food range. This will save 410 tonnes of non-recyclable plastic waste and replacing it with 100% recyclable alternatives. This is part of their mission to make Ireland greener.
Since September 2020, ALDI SOUTH Germany introduced reusable bread bags for their baked goods, creating a resource-saving alternative to paper bags. With the washable fabric, bags made of organic cotton will not only reduce packaging but also allow customers to transport loose baked goods home in a hygienic and safe manner.
ALDI UK is the first supermarket to launch its own-brand concentrated cleaning liquids that will refill spray bottles for up to four times. This will save an estimated 550 tonnes of single-used plastic a year. Six new Power Force concentrated products, including window, shower, kitchen and bathroom concentrates, hit the shelves from 24th September. Both the bottle and concentrate refill bottles are fully recyclable, and the concentrated refill solution has been awarded Leaping Bunny Certification.
In September 2020, ALDI US has joined the US Plastics Pact, a collaborative, solutions-driven initiative aimed at creating a path towards a circular economy for plastics in the United States. As part of the U.S. Plastics Pact, ALDI U.S. recognise that significant, system-wide change is imperative to realise a circular economy for plastics. The U.S. Plastics Pact will convene various stakeholders across the plastics value chain to bring one voice to packaging through coordinated initiatives and innovative solutions for rethinking products, packaging and business models.
