German retailers Aldi Nord and Aldi Süd have announced a new plan to stop supplying disposable bags at their checkouts. This includes both plastic and paper bags.
"We are deliberately taking a step further and do not just omit plastic bags that are harmful to the environment, but also the widely accepted paper varieties," said Philipp Skorning, group purchasing director for quality management and corporate responsibility at Aldi Süd.
"Because of their high energy and water consumption in production, as well as their low durability, they do not offer a sustainable alternative."
Sustainable Option
Aldi is introducing a new reusable bag made from over 80% recycled material. In order to promote the reusable option during the conversion phase, the retailer is raising the price for all disposable bags to €0.20 nationwide. Furthermore, it is planning to use this additional income for environmental projects.
"With the decision, we are taking another step towards the future in terms of sustainable action. For Aldi, the disposal of bags is simply a thing of the past," said Rayk Mende, managing director of corporate responsibility at Aldi Nord.
The new programme will be introduced from October in Aldi Süd's Munich stores and Aldi Nord supermarkets in the Berlin area. It will be extended to all Aldi branches over time, while disposable bags will be gradually phased out.
The company expects that the complete conversion will be completed by the end of 2018.
© 2017 European Supermarket Magazine – your source for the latest retail news. Article by Sarah Harford. Click subscribe to sign up to ESM: The European Supermarket Magazine.
