Discount Retail Chain Aldi UK is outfitting its own private label chips packaging with recycled plastic in a “UK supermarket first.”
The UK’s fourth-largest supermarket is incorporating a minimum of 35% recycled content across its Specially Selected Hand Cooked range, which has already rolled out nationwide. Its own-label popcorn and lentil chips are set to follow toward the end of the year.
The change is expected to eliminate 78 tons of virgin plastic from use annually and forms part of the supermarket’s target to include 50% recycled content into its plastic packaging by 2025.
“At Aldi, we are continuously making changes when it comes to reducing plastic waste, and we know how important this is to our customers too,” says Luke Emery, Plastics and Packaging director at Aldi.
“Increasing the recycled content in our crisp packaging is just one way we are helping our customers to reduce their environmental impact, with all these little changes adding up to make an even bigger difference.”
This is the latest move in Aldi’s continuing efforts to reduce its environmental impact and develop alternative packaging for its products.
Last month, Aldi introduced 100% recycled PET (rPET) on some of its own-brand washing up liquid bottles, while in April it was the first supermarket to move to 100% rPET for its own-brand soft drinks and bottled water range in England and Wales.
In other recent moves, Aldi has rolled out the “UK’s first” supermarket own-brand flat wine bottles within its Chapter & Verse label. The recyclable ergonomic packaging concept is made from 100% rPET and available for shiraz and chardonnay options.
