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Discount grocer Aldi has pledged to reduce the volume of plastic packaging used by 50% by 2025.
The new commitment will see the chain remove 74,000 tonnes of plastic packaging during the next five years, the equivalent to 2.2 billion single items of plastic.
To achieve this target, Aldi said it will work to remove and reduce unnecessary packaging and switch to alternative materials. Where plastic is required, it will be recyclable and made of recycled material wherever possible.
The new target is part of Aldi’s overall strategy to ensure that all own-label products are recyclable, reusable or compostable by 2022 and branded products sold at Aldi by 2025.
Since introducing its plastic-reduction strategy in March 2018, Aldi has removed more than 6,000 tonnes of plastic and replaced over 3,200 tonnes of non-recyclable material with recyclable alternatives.
UK and Ireland CEO Giles Hurley 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.”
Hurley added: “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.”
