Earlier this year Lidl became the second supermarket to sign up to the National Farmer’s Union fruit and veg pledge. Following in the footsteps of fellow supermarket chain, Aldi, Lidl has cemented its commitment to working in a sustainable way and maintaining long-term relationships in the supply chain.
Lidl has worked with many of it’s growers for up to 15 years and is enthusiastic about continuing to support them by making the NFU pledge. The pledge prioritises fair terms, price certainty, minimisation of food waste and security for suppliers.
This is one of many steps that Lidl has taken in the last few years towards protecting the environment and improving environmental standards in their stores. Lidl has recently replaced lighting across their store warehouses, office buildings and staff areas with motion sensor lighting and intelligent lighting in order to conserve energy.
They have also replaced their R22 refrigerant in all stores with the more environmentally friendly R-404A system which boasts Zero Ozone Depletion Potential.
In 2016, Lidl began a company aligned program to closely monitor the energy they use and to help identify any efficiency improvements, as well as following a specific delivery program to ensure that their goods reach their customers fresh on a daily basis.
In October 2015, Lidl, alongside all large retailers were required by law to charge for all single use carrier bags in an aim to decrease waste. As well as taking longer than other bags to degrade in the environment, plastic bags can also damage wildlife and litter can have a negative effect on local tourism and community spirit.
By introducing the charge for plastic bags, the government estimates that in the next 10 years the outcomes of the scheme will include an estimated overall benefit of over £780m to the UK economy. As well as boosting the economy, Lidl aims to donate £1m generated from the proceeds of sales to selected charities including Keep Britain Tidy.
