Lidl is tripling the size of its plant-based range, with new tertiary brand Vemondo set to land in stores from this month.
The range is made up of 28 products, including a number of tofu lines priced from £1.75 and burgers starting at £1.89.
There are also plant-based sausages (£1.89), mince (£2.49) and nuggets (£1.99), along with dairy-free and vegan yoghurts and cheese, plus ready meals.
Lidl said it had seen a 12% increase in sales in the category in the past year, and expected further growth as the new range arrived in dedicated plant-based fixtures in stores.
The range will be in select stores initially before completing its national rollout by January 2025, backed by increased marketing.
Lidl is aiming for plant-based to account for 25% of its total protein sales by 2030, working from a baseline of 14% in 2021. The discounter said the ambition supported Eat-Lancet Planetary Health Diet goals of cutting consumption of certain foods including red meat and sugar by 50% by 2050.
Lidl has also committed to doubling the proportion of sales of plant-based protein from dairy alternatives by 2030, working from a baseline of 6.4% in 2021.
The discounter said the new targets fed into its aim of reaching net zero by 2050.
Lidl GB chief commercial officer Richard Bourns said the steps made the supermarket “the first UK retailer to set specific plant-based protein targets”.
He said Lidl was also “committed to breaking down key barriers that currently exist within the category, like price, quality, and availability”.
“With the launch of our new own-label Vemondo range, and the expansion of our branded offering, all at market-leading prices, we’re making high-quality plant-based foods accessible to everyone, ensuring that more customers can afford to make healthy and sustainable choices,” he said.
“Our commitment to sustainable proteins will contribute to significantly reducing our Scope 3 CO2 emissions and support a more balanced and sustainable food system for the future.”
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Rebecca Tobi, senior business and investor engagement manager at the Food Foundation, said the UK needed to boost the proportion of plant protein consumed to reach net zero by 2050.
“Setting targets is a hugely important step, serving as a north star for driving meaningful change in shifting the food on offer so that supermarkets are better supporting both people’s health and the planet,” said Tobi.
“So it’s fantastic to see Lidl GB committing to increase sales of plant protein – becoming the very first UK retailer to both transparently disclose data and have a target for this.”
Tracey Jones, global director of food business at Compassion in World Farming, said: “Lidl is setting an example in the UK retail sector, and we hope their initiative inspires other supermarkets to consider the impact their business has on planetary health.”
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