Aldi is trialling 12 new loose fruit & veg lines in a step to reduce unnecessary plastic.
The discounter has taken fresh produce lines including carrots, broccoli and salad tomatoes out of plastic packaging in “select” stores across the north of England.
Stores in County Durham, Cumbria, North Yorkshire, West Yorkshire, Northumberland and Tyne & Wear are to take part in the trial this month.
Wrap last month called on the government to ban packaging on 21 uncut fresh produce items, including all 12 lines on Aldi’s list, to improve the prospects of the industry meeting a target of selling 50% of uncut fruit & veg loose by the end of 2030.
Research by Wrap the previous year found that, contrary to arguments for retaining plastic packaging, removing it from fresh fruit & veg could cut food waste by over 100,000 tonnes a year, by encouraging shoppers to buy only what they need.
Aldi already offers loose produce options of potatoes, peppers and avocados.
“Wrap’s ambition is for 50% of uncut fruit & veg to be sold loose by the end of 2030 so it’s fantastic to see Aldi selling more loose produce,” said Catherine David, director of behaviour change and business programmes at Wrap.
“A household of four throws away on average £1,000 of food each year, costing the planet’s precious resources, and people’s pockets. By selling more items loose, people will be able to buy only what they need, save money and cut the use of single-use packaging – a real win-win-win.”
Aldi national sustainability director Luke Emery said: “We are constantly looking for new ways to reduce unnecessary packaging and this trial is another example of the significant steps we’re taking in this area.
“By trialling these packaging-free produce lines, we hope this encourages customers to make more environmentally friendly choices when shopping in store. By helping shoppers to buy only what they need, we’re not just reducing packaging, but helping to cut food waste too.”
These are the 12 new lines Aldi is trialling loose:
- Parsnips
- Carrots
- Broccoli
- Brown onions
- Red onions
- Ginger
- Pears
- Salad tomatoes
- Limes
- Lemons
- Oranges
- Garlic
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