German discounter Lidl has reaffirmed its commitment to conscious nutrition internationally by aligning its product range more consistently with the Planetary Health Diet (PHD) by 2050.
It has also announced new targets for proteins, and whole grains as it aims to transform the food system to address challenges such as climate change, biodiversity loss, and diet-related diseases.
Christoph Graf, head of purchasing at Lidl Dienstleistung GmbH & Co. KG, explained, "In order to provide a growing world population with healthy nutrition within planetary boundaries, a global change in diet is necessary.
"Lidl has been working towards this in Germany for years on the scientific basis of the Planetary Health Diet nutritional concept. With the WWF network, we will do even more in the future to offer our customers a constantly growing selection of healthy, more sustainable alternatives at the usual low Lidl price."
New Targets
Lidl Germany seeks to increase the proportion of whole grain in its range to 20% with 2023 as the base year.
By 2030, it will expand its selection of whole-grain products to include at least one whole-grain alternative in all relevant product categories across its range.
In the protein segment, the discounter has set itself the goal of increasing the proportion of plant-based protein sources to 20% by 2030 in relation to animal protein sources.
This includes pulses, nuts, and seeds as well as vegan alternatives to meat, egg, and fish products.
In 2023, Lidl adjusted the prices of vegan alternatives to those of comparable animal products to implement this strategy.
Mariella Meyer of WWF Switzerland commented, “This is a crucial step towards transforming the food system, one of the main drivers of biodiversity loss.
“By focusing on plant-based products, Lidl is putting the emphasis on the health of people and the planet."
