Lidl has set a target for increasing sales of high-fibre food, in a claimed UK supermarket first.
It aims to increase the tonnage of fibre it sells by 20% by 2026. It also plans to boost the volume of wholegrains it sells to 25% of total grains by 2030.
The discounter said the Lidl Plus loyalty app would play a key role, with recent promotions having nearly doubled sales of fibre-rich products.
The supermarket cited Kantar research suggesting 23% of shoppers were actively seeking high-fibre products in their weekly groceries, and ONS data showing only 9% of UK adults met the recommended daily intake of 30g of fibre, with lower-income households consuming less.
It said it was working with suppliers to enhance recipes by incorporating more plant-based, fibre-rich ingredients like lentils, beans and grains, while reducing fats and sugars. It also plans to add new high-fibre products.
Lidl has claimed another retailer first with the implementation of WWF Planet-Based Diets methodology across all 31 countries it operates in. The methodology would be used to measure and report on its product assortments and sales, it said.
It is also aiming to align with the Planetary Health Diet by increasing the proportion of plant-based foods sold by 20% by 2030. It follows Lidl’s announcement in October of a plan to ensure plant-based protein sales account for 25% of its total protein sales by tonnage by 2030.
“As the first UK retailer to align its strategy with the science of the Planetary Health Diet, Lidl is committed to supporting healthy and sustainable diets and setting ambitious targets to ensure our food is good for both people and the planet,” said Lidl GB chief commercial officer Richard Bourns.
“We stand firmly behind the need for sustainable consumption as part of the net-zero transition and are committed to offering our customers an ever-expanding range of healthy, sustainable products at affordable prices.
“With WWF as an experienced partner by our side, we aim to make a greater impact on transforming the global food system – and hope that other supermarkets will follow suit.”
Read more: Lidl makes big changes to store layouts including more space for fresh fruit & veg
WWF head of food system transformation Sophie Bauer said: “We welcome Lidl’s alignment with the Planetary Health Diet and the use of the WWF Planet-Based Diets Retailer Methodology.
“Adopting healthier, more sustainable diets is a crucial step in transforming the food system, which is the number one driver of wildlife and nature loss.
“By setting public targets focused on increasing plant-based choices, Lidl is helping to support both human and planetary health.
“We hope this inspires other retailers to follow suit to make healthy, sustainable foods the easy and affordable choice.”
Lidl announced a five-year international strategic partnership with WWF in June last year.
The discounter is working to increase fresh fruit & vegetable sales by 35% by 2026, in a previously set target. It hit a target by of ensuring at least 80% of sales come from healthy or healthier products two years early, in 2023 rather than 2025.
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