Lidl GB introduces compostable fruit and veg bags, launches in-store flexible plastic recycling
16 Sep 2021 --- Lidl GB is planning to replace all single-use fruit and vegetable plastic bags with compostable bags, allowing customers to select more environmentally sustainable packaging when shopping.
This in-store change will remove 275 metric tons of conventional single-use plastic, claims the company. The new compostable bags are designed to be reused as caddy liners for domestic food waste collections and are suitable for home composting, providing them with a longer life cycle.
“As a brick and mortar retailer, how we operate in our stores and the packaging we use plays such a vital role in helping customers to tackle their plastic consumption,” says Christian Härtnagel, CEO at Lidl GB.
“By offering convenient solutions such as compostable bags and making it easier for customers to recycle more plastic through our in-store drop-off points, we are hoping to give customers the opportunity to take small steps to reduce and recycle their plastic packaging.”
Recycling scheme
In addition to the new compostable bags, Lidl is also launching a trial plastic bag and wrapping recycling scheme across 12 stores in the West Midlands, with a plan to expand the scheme nationwide if successful.
Due to be rolled out next month, the trial will enable customers to return flexible plastic packaging easily. Currently, flexible recycling is not collected from homes by more than 80% of local UK authorities. 
All plastic packaging for fruit and veg will soon be scrapped at Lidl GB stores.
Items included in the recycling scheme include carrier bags, biscuit wrappers, crisp packets, bread bags, pet food pouches and more. Compostable bags should be used for food waste and not placed in these collection points.
Customers will be able to return flexible plastic packaging at easily accessible drop-off points at the front of store. Lidl will then ensure all eligible soft plastics will be recycled into products, such as refuse sacks and rigid construction products, says the company.
“It’s great news that Lidl is taking its responsibility seriously in this area and introducing collection points for bags and wrapping under The Pact. Our research showed that many citizens were willing to bring this material back to stores and we’re encouraged by the success of these collections to date,” says Helen Bird, strategic technical manager at WRAP.
Lidl’s long-term commitments
These initiatives build on Lidl’s plastic commitments to make 100% of its own-brand packaging widely recyclable, reusable or refillable by 2025.
This year, Lidl hit its target of ensuring 50% of packaging is made from recycled materials, four years ahead of plan, while it also reduced plastic by 18.5%, on track to reach its original target to reduce by 20% by 2022.
The supermarket also met its target of eliminating problematic plastic packaging (including black plastic, PVC and EPS) from its own label core food range and ensuring that 100% of pulp and fiber-based own-label packaging in its core food range are either responsibly sourced from FSC, PEFC, or equivalent, or made using recycled content.
Last month, Lidl announced it had removed one billion pieces of plastic from stores across Great Britain, including 24 million plastic trays and punnets.
The company also recently began trialing the UK’s new Eco-Score traffic light labeling system in Scotland, helping shoppers understand the environmental sustainability credentials of food and beverage products and their packaging.
Edited
By Louis Gore-Langton
