LIDL GB BEEFING UP SUSTAINABILITY WITH £1.5 BILLION INVESTMENT IN BRITISH BEEF PRODUCTION

• Lidl GB will invest £1.5 billion in British Beef production over the next 5 years.
• The discounter has also announced a market-leading sustainability programme in partnership with its British beef suppliers.
• Lidl will financially reward farmers in its newly formed producer group for adopting regenerative farming techniques and reducing on farm carbon emissions.
• Lidl and Dunbia have also set an ambitious target to reduce scope 3 emissions intensity, including on farm emissions, by 28% per tonne of finished product, by 2030.

Lidl GB, the UK's fastest-growing bricks-and-mortar supermarket, is setting a new standard in sustainable beef production with its market-leading programme. Partnering with British beef suppliers, Lidl is also committing to invest £1.5 billion into the British beef industry over the next five years, as part of its wider commitment to sourcing 100% British beef.

Lidl is launching the Sustainable Beef Group to support farmers transitioning to sustainable practices. Those in the group will be rewarded for achieving a reduction in carbon intensity, alongside adopting regenerative farming techniques to improve grazing management, biodiversity, and soil and water quality parameters that are unique to each farm. The discounter will also work with these farmers to improve herd performance, with all initiatives naturally helping to improve farm profitability.

In a significant step forward for the industry, hundreds of farms across the UK have been carbon footprinted to gather data. In partnership with the independent agricultural and sustainability consultancy, Promar, each farm will now be offered tailored advice to reduce their carbon emissions and support the sustainable growth of their businesses over time. Within their partnership, Lidl and Dunbia have set a target to reduce their scope 3 emissions intensity by 28% per tonne of finished product, by 2030. This supports Lidl’s wider scope 3 science-aligned climate targets.

This builds on the success of Lidl’s exclusive Welsh and Grass Fed beef producer groups. In both instances, the discounter pays a premium to producers to join the group. In another step forward for the industry, the Grass Fed range ensures that cattle spend a minimum of 180 days grazing outdoors each year, with a diet consisting of at least 70% grass.

Richard Bourns, Chief Commercial Officer at Lidl GB, said: “As one of the largest buyers of British beef, we recognise our responsibility to support farmers adopt sustainable practices. This market-leading programme underpins our long-term commitment to buying 100% British, whilst investing significantly in sustainable practices that exceed industry standards. It ensures our customers can continue to enjoy the best in high-quality, sustainably sourced British beef at the lowest possible prices."

Gill Higgins, Group Sustainability Director, UK & Ireland at Dunbia, said: “We are delighted to support Lidl with their new sustainable beef programme. This initiative will support British beef farmers in adopting more sustainable farming methods, while ensuring a consistent supply of high-quality beef for Lidl and their customers. This is a great example of how strategic partnerships and supply chain investment can support progress in the agri-food industry.

In February 2024, Lidl launched a vacuum-packed mince solution across its range, implemented in partnership with leading beef supplier Dunbia, reducing plastic usage by 300 tonnes annually.

Other supplier initiatives include a £500 million investment in the British pork industry to address recent challenges and support high-quality British pork production. Lidl also partnered with Pembrokeshire Creamery to become the first supermarket selling milk produced and bottled in Wales.

ENDS

Notes to Editors

About Lidl GB

Since establishing itself in Great Britain in 1994, Lidl GB has experienced continuous growth and today has over 32,000 employees, over 960 stores and 14 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. The supermarket, which has around 375,000 employees globally, currently operates over 12,350 stores and more than 225 logistics centres and warehouses in 31 countries.

The 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, which operates worldwide as a retail group, generated a revenue of €167.2 billion in the financial year 2023.

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