Monday 10 June 2019

Aldi to trial new carrier bags to save 1,300 tonnes of plastic a year

Aldi is launching a new carrier bags trial at 830 stores across the UK in an effort to reduce plastic use.

Starting in July, all its stores will offer either paper or compostable carrier bags, which the supermarket says could help save up to 1,300 tonnes of plastic a year – equivalent to 33.3 million carrier bags.

At the end of the trial - which is expected to last a minimum of two months - the most popular option will be rolled out across the UK and offered alongside Aldi’s other reusable bags.

The new compostable bags are made up of a bio-degradable material called Bioplast and are designed to be completely compostable within 12 months.

The reusable brown paper bags are said to be sourced from sustainably managed forests and strong enough to carry up to 11kg of groceries.

Aldi has also pledged to reduce plastic packaging by 25% by 2023 and aims to remove difficult-to-recycle packaging, including expanded polystyrene, PVC and non-detectable black plastic from its core food range by the end of 2020.

Fritz Walleczek, Managing Director of Corporate Responsibility at Aldi said: “Reducing the amount of plastic we produce is fundamental to our commitment to being a sustainable and environmentally responsible business. This trial will identify the option which best suits our shoppers.

“Cutting waste is part of Aldi’s DNA and we are constantly looking for new ways to reduce our environmental impact. This new trial is one of the biggest we have ever launched because we want our customers to be involved and help us make the right decision for them and the environment.”