ALDI has announced it is to reduce the volume of plastic packaging used by 50% by 2025.
The supermarket said that the commitment will see it remove 74,000 tonnes of plastic packaging over the next five years.
To achieve this, Aldi said it will work to remove and reduce unnecessary packaging and switch to alternative materials – adding that, where plastic is required, it will be recyclable and made of recycled material wherever possible.
Giles Hurley, chief executive officer at Aldi UK and Ireland, said, “We are stepping up our efforts to reduce the amount of plastic packaging used across our business because it is the right thing to do for a sustainable future. We know this issue matters to our customers too and are confident they will support our initiatives to reduce plastic in the coming years.”
The supermarket said that it has been working closely with its suppliers in recent months to develop ‘innovative’ ways to reduce ‘avoidable’ plastics. These include replacing plastic wrapping on toilet rolls with a paper alternative, removing over lids from cream and yogurts and no longer using plastic lids on packs of its Mamia baby wipes.
Giles Hurley continued, “We can only achieve our long-term plastic reduction targets with support from suppliers. The response we have received so far has been extremely positive and we look forward to working with them to develop further innovative packaging solutions.”
