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Plastics & Packaging

Our commitment

Packaging plays a vital role in protecting and preserving products, reducing food waste, and reducing emissions through efficient transport. However, we know that it is having an impact on the environment - from excess or heavy packaging, to littering, to plastic pollution entering our oceans. We are committed to tackling these issues and working towards a more circular economy.

Our goals

By 2025:

Reduce own label plastic packaging by 40% relatively against a 2017 baseline.

By 2025:

Reduce own label packaging by 25% relatively against a 2019 baseline.

By 2025:

100% of own label & branded packaging to be recyclable, reusable, refillable or renewable (90% by 2023).

Our approach

In 2018, we set ambitious targets for packaging and have made significant progress against them. We work collaboratively with our suppliers and industry to critically assess each and every pack we put on our shelves against the following principles:

Removal and Reduction

Wherever possible, we remove plastic and packaging altogether. Where packaging is needed, we ensure it isn't unnecessary or excessive.
Where appropriate, and where unintended environmental consequences are avoided, we will switch plastic with alternative materials.
To date, we’ve:
- Removed the most problematic plastic packaging types, such as black plastic, PVC and EPS, from our own-label core food ranges.
- By dispensing with overlids from dairy pots, for example, we’ve taken 38 million pieces of plastic off our shelves to date.
- We’ve also removed plastic from fruit and vegetables - including 10 million stickers on bananas and 20 million tags from spring onions.

Reuse and Refill

We're constantly exploring reusable and refillable options to reduce single-use packaging in-store.

Recycled Content and Recyclability

Circularity is vital to us. We design our packaging with end-of-life in mind, ensuring it is easier to recycle.
We're also working to increase the amount of recycled content in our packaging, ultimately lowering the amount of virgin materials we use.
To date, we’ve replaced the majority of plastic wrapping with card on multi-sales of tins. We've also swapped out flow wrap on 600 tonnes of mushroom trays for a recyclable material and are rolling out new, clear and consistent pack labelling that makes recycling easier for our customers.

Our projects

Tackling ocean plastics

We recognise the key role that our business plays in tackling the detrimental impact that plastic is having on our oceans. That's why in 2020 we were the first GB retailer to introduce Prevented Ocean Plastic into some our packaging. Prevented Ocean Plastics use discarded water bottles collected on or near the beaches and coastlines of Southeast Asia.

By incorporating this recycled content into some of our packaging - including on fresh fish and meat as well as our prep fruit - we have prevented the equivalent of over 15 million water bottles from entering the ocean. Read more about this project here.

Our refill machine

In October 2022, Lidl GB launched a trial of the UK's first on-shelf smart refill machine. Customers use the state-of-the-art refill stations by selecting a reusable pouch and following easy on-screen instructions to pick their favourite laundry detergent.

This pouch is cheaper than the single-use version and can then be reused, time and time again. Read more about this trial here.

Our progress

Packaging Goals 2020	2020 Status (where applicable)	2021 Status (where applicable)	2022 Status
By 2025, reduce own label plastic packaging by 40% relatively against a 2017 baseline	18%	20.1%	29.4%
By 2025, reduce own label packaging by 25% relatively against a 2019 baseline	-3.4%	-2%	13.1%
By 2025, 100% of own label & branded packaging to be recyclable, reusable, refillable or renewable (by tonnage)	96%	93%	94.6%

^{*Relative reduction based on tonnage of plastic per £1m revenue.}^{Further information on our progress and plastic footprints can be viewed in our CSR reports here.}

Removed 20t of packaging from mushrooms

Across multiple regions plastic trays in sliced mushrooms have been removed, saving 20 tonnes of packaging

Lowering packaging weight

We've reduced the weight of our Danpak spreadable butter tubs and lids by 14%

Prevented Ocean Plastics

First adopter of Prevented Ocean Plastics, avoiding 10 million water bottles from entering the marine environment to date

63% lighter recyclable beef mince packaging

Introduced 63% lighter recyclable vacuum-packed packaging across beef mince, resulting in a 250 tonne packaging reduction

100t of packaging prevented from entering the ocean annually

Containing a minimum of 30% Prevented Ocean Plastic, our San Celestino Sparkling Mineral Water bottles prevent almost 100 tonnes of packaging from entering our oceans annually

Up to 800m tea bags compostable

By introducing plant-based polylactic acid (PLA) to our own brand tea bags up to 800 million tea bags per year can now be disposed of with food waste or in green waste bins