LIDL BECOMES FIRST UK SUPERMARKET TO INTRODUCE REUSABLE FRUIT AND VEG BAGS NATIONWIDE

• Lidl is launching a reusable bag for loose fruit and vegetables
• The discounter is the first supermarket in the UK to offer them nationwide
• The ‘Green Bags’ will go on sale in Lidl stores from today at 69p for a pack of two

Today, Lidl GB has become the first supermarket in the UK to introduce reusable fruit and veg bags across all its stores nationwide, designed to give customers a sustainable choice and reduce plastic use and waste in the long term.

The ‘Green Bags’, priced at 69p for two, provide customers with an affordable, reusable alternative to single-use, small fruit and vegetable bags.

Georgina Hall, Head of CSR at Lidl GB commented: “Ever since we opened our doors in Great Britain, 25 years ago, we have been strongly committed to finding ways to reduce our plastic waste. We’ve made changes – big and small – over the years to help contribute to this. Today’s announcement is the next step, and one which we hope will help customers shift to a truly reusable option.”

This announcement builds on the discounter’s strong commitment to combatting plastic waste, including reducing plastic packaging by 20% by 2022 and making sure 100% of its own-brand packaging is widely recyclable, reusable, refillable or renewable by 2025.

This move also follows Lidl’s strong track record on plastic bag reduction. Since opening its first store in 1994, it has charged for plastic carrier bags. Its move to remove all single-use carrier bags from sale in 2017 resulted in 26 million fewer plastic bags being sold annually.

Additional steps taken by the discounter to reduce plastic use and waste include:

• Removed black plastic from fruit and veg range
• Removing black plastic from fresh meat, fish and poultry range by end of August 2019
• Trialling the removal of 9p reusable bags from sale in Wales
• Committed to only selling packs of paper straws
• Replaced plastic stemmed cotton buds with biodegradable stems
• Eradicated microbeads from all cosmetic and household products ahead of legislation
• Replaced plastic tomato punnets with cardboard
• Replaced polystyrene pizza bases with cardboard

Since 2017, Lidl’s actions to remove, replace and reduce own-brand plastic packaging has resulted in an 8% reduction per store.

-ENDS-

Notes to Editors

For more information please contact:

Lidl@Headlandconsultancy.com / +44 (0)20 3805 4818

About Lidl GB

Since establishing itself in Great Britain in 1994, Lidl has experienced continuous growth and today has over 22,000 employees, 760 stores and 13 distribution centres in England, Scotland and Wales. As part of the Schwarz retail group, Lidl is one of Europe’s leading organisations in the food retail industry. With a presence in 30 countries around the world, the supermarket, which has more than 287,000 employees globally, currently operates approximately 10,800 stores and more than 150 distribution centres in 29 countries globally. The family supermarket takes pride in providing its customers with the highest quality products at the lowest possible prices throughout Great Britain, from Kirkwall to the Isle of Wight. Social responsibility and sustainability are at the core of the company's daily operations, with the company placing a strong emphasis on its responsibility for people, society and the environment.  Lidl GB is passionate about working with British producers and sources two thirds of its products from British suppliers.

The Schwarz Group (Kaufland, Lidl) has been Europe's largest food retailer since 2014 and generated a turnover of €104.3 billion in financial year 2018.

For more information about Lidl GB visit www.lidl.co.uk