German discounter Aldi has announced that it will add more than 60 new organic products to its private-label ranges in the country this year.
The retailer said that in 2018 it will focus on developing its organic range so that the entire household shopping can be done purchasing only organic.
The expansion will see Aldi Süd’s organic range grow almost 30%, from around 240 products currently, to about 310 products by the end of the year, including trial products, seasonal, promotional and standard items at the discounter.
Meanwhile, its northern counterpart, Aldi Nord, plans to expand its ‘GutBio’ organic private label to around 350 products, with varying offers depending on season and region.
Affordable Organic
“Organic quality at Aldi should not be a question of the purse,” said Rolf Buyle, managing director for central purchasing at Aldi Nord. “We want to offer our customers a wide range of controlled organic food in the best organic quality and freshness at fair prices.”
Aldi’s share of organic products in food sales, including private labels, rose slightly, from 5.6% in 2015 to 6.5% in 2016, reflecting the increasing popularity of the category.
All of Aldi’s organic products are certified and uniformly labelled with a green smiley face, denoting the product’s adherence to the current EU organic regulation, according to the retailer.
Organic Criteria
The criteria for Aldi’s organic seal include cutting out GMO feed, better housing conditions for animals, and source farms that promote biodiversity, as well as plant products that are cultivated in a way that protects the soil.
According to the German market-research institute GfK, 95% of households bought at least one organic product in 2017. Aldi said that its most popular organic products are fresh items such as milk, meat, fruit, vegetables and eggs.
“We put a lot of emphasis on the sustainable and reliable production of our goods, and our controls pay particular attention to their origin and quality,” said Phillip Skorning, deputy general manager for quality and corporate responsibility at Aldi Süd.
© 2018 European Supermarket Magazine – your source for the latest retail news. Article by Kevin Duggan. Click subscribe to sign up to ESM: The European Supermarket Magazine.
