Batavia, IL-based Aldi has solidified its commitment to reduce plastic packaging in its stores.
Courtesy Aldi
In an April 3 company press release, Aldi said by 2025, 100 percent of its store brand packaging, including plastic, will be reusable, recyclable or compostable. It also pledged to reduce overall item packaging material by 15 percent.
Aldi said it can deliver this promise because more than 90 percent of its product range is Aldi-exclusive.
“Aldi has never offered single-use plastic shopping bags. And while we’re pleased that we’ve helped keep billions of plastic grocery bags out of landfills and oceans, we want to continue to do more,” said Jason Hart, CEO of Aldi U.S., in the release. “The commitments we’re making to reduce plastic packaging waste are an investment in our collective future that we are proud to make.”
The pledge didn’t specifically address fresh produce packaging. While Aldi carries some store brand items in its fresh produce department, company brands are much more prevalent than other departments in an Aldi location.
Aldi has not responded to questions about how the pledge affects fresh produce in its stores.
Earlier this year Trader Joe’s touted its plans to reduce plastic packaging in its stores, but most of the bigger moves against plastic packaging have occurred in foreign markets.
The company said these new goals are an extension of its existing sustainability initiatives:
-By 2025, 100 percent of Aldi packaging, including plastic packaging, will have reusable, recyclable or compostable packaging;
-By 2025, packaging material of all Aldi-exclusive products to be reduced by at least 15 percent;
-By 2020, 100 percent of Aldi-exclusive consumable packaging to include How2Recycle label;
-By 2020, implement an initiative to make private-label product packaging easier for customers to reuse;
-Guide continuous improvement of product packaging by internal expertise and external evaluations.
Aldi operates more than 1,800 stores in 35 states.
Batavia, IL-based Aldi has solidified its commitment to reduce plastic packaging in its stores.
Courtesy Aldi
In an April 3 company press release, Aldi said by 2025, 100 percent of its store brand packaging, including plastic, will be reusable, recyclable or compostable. It also pledged to reduce overall item packaging material by 15 percent.
Aldi said it can deliver this promise because more than 90 percent of its product range is Aldi-exclusive.
“Aldi has never offered single-use plastic shopping bags. And while we’re pleased that we’ve helped keep billions of plastic grocery bags out of landfills and oceans, we want to continue to do more,” said Jason Hart, CEO of Aldi U.S., in the release. “The commitments we’re making to reduce plastic packaging waste are an investment in our collective future that we are proud to make.”
The pledge didn’t specifically address fresh produce packaging. While Aldi carries some store brand items in its fresh produce department, company brands are much more prevalent than other departments in an Aldi location.
Aldi has not responded to questions about how the pledge affects fresh produce in its stores.
Earlier this year Trader Joe’s touted its plans to reduce plastic packaging in its stores, but most of the bigger moves against plastic packaging have occurred in foreign markets.
The company said these new goals are an extension of its existing sustainability initiatives:
-By 2025, 100 percent of Aldi packaging, including plastic packaging, will have reusable, recyclable or compostable packaging;
-By 2025, packaging material of all Aldi-exclusive products to be reduced by at least 15 percent;
-By 2020, 100 percent of Aldi-exclusive consumable packaging to include How2Recycle label;
-By 2020, implement an initiative to make private-label product packaging easier for customers to reuse;
-Guide continuous improvement of product packaging by internal expertise and external evaluations.
Aldi operates more than 1,800 stores in 35 states.
Greg Johnson is Director of Media Development for Blue Book Services
