From the supplier to the shelves of the stores, ALDI Belgium and ALDI Luxembourg meet customer expectations with more sustainable packaging, reduction of food waste and energy-efficient logistics.
The sustainability focus in Belgium and Luxembourg is currently on reducing food waste and improving the sustainability of packaging. We provide our customers with sustainable products, while transforming our stores and distribution centres to be more energy-efficient and climate-friendly.
To reduce food waste, we have strengthened our collaboration with the Belgian foodbanks. We started freezing food surpluses, which enabled us to increase donations. With this strategy, the ALDI companies enable redistribution of food over a longer period of time to those in need. As a result of our initial EOY charity action, we donated 50,000 euros’ worth of freshly prepared meals to the Foodbanks with the help of our customers.
In 2019, the National Packaging Policy was launched for Belgium and Luxembourg with the aim of reducing and optimising the recyclability of our packaging. We strive towards 100 per cent recyclable packaging by the end of 2022 and aim to reduce the total amount of packaging materials by 10 per cent by the end of 2025. As of 2019, these goals are monitored by our newly founded sustainable packaging team. Furthermore, we have taken initiatives to reduce single use plastics such as cotton ear buds and carrier bags.
Our products make a stop at our distribution centres before being distributed to individual stores. To reduce our carbon footprint, we have retrofitted all our distribution centres with energy-efficient LED lighting and solar panels. The new centre in Turnhout meets the latest sustainable building standards, for which it has received a BREEAM outstanding certification as the most sustainable distribution centre in Belgium. In 2019, we started working with a hub for suppliers, which enables us to reduce the amount of driven kilometres saving CO2 emissions.
387
tonnes less single-use plastics each year
ALDI Belgium saved 387 tonnes of plastic yearly by switching to reusable carrier bags, metal drinking straws and cotton ear buds made from sustainable cardboard instead of plastic.
30 %
increase of vegetarian/vegan articles
By reaching this goal by the end of 2020, we will meet customer requirements. In 2019, we had 37 vegetarian/vegan articles.
| Regional companies | 7 |
| Stores | 440 |
| Total ALDI employees |
7,194 |
| Year of market entry | 1976 |
| Website |
www.aldi.be |
| Regional companies |
1 |
| Stores | 16 |
| Total ALDI employees | 150 |
| Year of market entry | 1991 |
| Website |
www.aldi.lu |
|
Goal |
Description and scope |
Status 2019 & next steps |
SDG |
|---|---|---|---|
|
10% less packaging by end of 2025 |
Reduce weight of packaging from own-brand standard ranges in Belgium and Luxembourg by 10% by end of 2025 (base year 2015) |
Project ongoing. |
|
|
99% recyclable packaging by end of 2023 |
99% volume of Belgian and Luxembourg standard product ranges recyclable by end of 2023 |
Project ongoing. |
|
|
Alternative materials for single-use plastics |
Ongoing search in Belgium and Luxembourg for alternative materials or products for single use plastics |
New goal. |
|
|
Ongoing optimisation of products’ nutritional composition |
Expansion of efforts in Belgium and Luxembourg to increase the fibre content and reduce salt, fat and sugar content in own-brand products |
Goal partially achieved. |
|
|
100% Fairtrade-certified roses by end of 2018 |
Transition of all roses in Belgian and Luxembourg stores to Fairtrade-certified goods by end of 2018 |
Goal achieved. |
|
|
ATC on all meat products by end of 2020 |
Extension of the ALDI Transparency Code (ATC) for own-brand products to all meat products and products containing meat in Belgium and Luxembourg by end of 2020 |
Goal achieved for all fresh meat items and meat products. Prepared meals are due to be achieved by the end of 2020. |
|
|
30% more vegetarian articles in 2020 |
30% more vegetarian articles in Belgian and Luxembourg stores in 2020 (base year 2019) |
New goal. |
|
|
Introduction of Nutri-Score and rollout by end of 2021 |
Introduction of Nutri-Score in 2020 and rollout in Belgium and Luxembourg by end of 2021 |
New goal. |
|
|
Promotion of local products in 2019 |
Develop guidelines for purchasing local Belgian agricultural products in 2019 |
Goal achieved. |
|
|
Partnership with the Belgian foodbanks in 2019 |
Start up a partnership with the Belgian foodbanks to further reduce food waste in 2019 |
Goal achieved. |
|
|
Regulation of children marketing in 2019 |
Develop guidelines for children marketing in Belgium in 2019 |
Goal achieved. |
|
Goal |
Description and scope |
Status 2019 & next steps |
SDG |
|---|---|---|---|
|
100% certified wood, paper and cardboard in product packaging by end of 2019 |
100% certified wood, paper and cardboard in product packaging by end of 2019 for standard Belgian and Luxembourg range products |
Goal partially achieved. |
|
|
50% certified sustainable coffee by end of 2020 |
Transition to certified sustainable coffee (UTZ, Fairtrade, Rainforest Alliance and organic) in Belgian and Luxembourg stores for own-brand coffee products by end of 2020 |
Goal achieved. By end of 2019, 54% achieved. |
|
|
100% certified fish and seafood products by end of 2018 |
Transition of fresh chilled and frozen fish and seafood products in Belgian and Luxembourg stores to certified sustainable goods by end of 2018 |
Goal achieved.
|
|
|
Foie gras without force-feeding by end of 2019 |
Introduce an alternative for foie gras without force-feeding in Belgian and Luxembourg stores by end of 2019 |
Goal achieved. |
|
|
Update national animal welfare policy by end of 2019 |
Update national animal welfare policy by end of 2019 |
Goal achieved. |
|
Goal |
Description and scope |
Status 2019 & next steps |
SDG |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Recycling bins for light bulbs in all stores in 2019 |
Rollout of RECUPEL recycling bins for light bulbs in all Belgian stores in 2019 |
Goal achieved. |
|
|
BREEAM Outstanding certified distribution centre in 2019 |
Opening of Belgian BREEAM certified distribution centre in 2019 |
Goal achieved. |
|
|
100% green energy by end of 2020 |
100% green energy in Belgium by generating electricity and by purchasing from the green energy label if needed |
New goal. |
|
|
30% increase of stores with solar panels by end of 2020 |
30% increase in the number of Belgian and Luxembourg stores with solar panels by end of 2020 (base year 2019), with project ongoing |
New goal. |
|
|
Introduce natural refrigerants in 2020 |
Introduce natural refrigerants (Propane and CO2) instead of synthetic refrigerants in new stores and major renovations in Belgian and Luxembourg in 2020. Project to continue in 2021
|
Project ongoing. |
|
|
Mobility policy for employees by end of 2020 |
Install a mobility policy for ALDI employees in Belgium and Luxembourg by end of 2020 |
New goal. |
|
Goal |
Description and scope |
Status 2019 & next steps |
SDG |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Yearly national charity action |
Yearly Belgian national charity action |
Project ongoing. Inaugural event was staged in 2019. |
