Lidl has set a series of standards for sustainable water management, noting that by February 2026, 100% of the fruit and vegetables that it sources from nine at-risk countries, including Spain, Egypt, Greece and Italy, will be certified according to recognised water standards.
The move forms part of the discounter’s ‘Towards Tomorrow’ sustainability strategy, it noted in a statement, adding that agriculture is responsible for 70% of global water consumption.
The retailer will work with the WWF’s Water Risk Filter, to ensure that recognised water usage standards are met with regard to products sourced from Spain, Italy, Greece, Portugal, Egypt, Morocco, Israel, Chile and South Africa.
‘Set New Standards’
“With our ambitious water strategy, to which all 31 countries in which Lidl has branches have committed, we want to set new standards for sustainable water management in our industry,” said Jan Bock, Lidl’s deputy CEO.
“As buyers of water-intensive foods, we have a special responsibility, and also a pioneering role. We are convinced that our efforts in the fruit-and-vegetable sector can make a valuable contribution to the long-term protection of water resources worldwide.”
Sustainable Water Management
Lidl is also guided by water standards including the GlobalG.A.P. SPRING (Sustainable Program for Irrigation and Groundwater Use), which contains a set of criteria for assessing sustainable water management on farms.
In addition, as a member of the multi-stakeholder initiative Alliance for Water Stewardship (AWS), Lidl has pledged to support joint projects in river areas with a high water risk. In spring 2022, for example, a large producer and a cooperative in southern Spain, on a total area of 1,100 hectares, received AWS certification.
