CR Programme 2020 - International

20% less virgin plastic in own-brand packaging by 2025

Reduce total weight of own-brand virgin plastic packaging at ALDI Nord (excluding fruit and vegetables) by 20% – proportional to sales – by end of 2025 (at the latest – base year 2020).

New goal.

30% recycled content in own-brand plastic packaging by 2025

30% recycled content in own-brand plastic packaging by 2025 (at the latest – average value).

New goal.

100% sustainably certified and/or recycled materials
for all product packaging by end of 2020

Transition of newly purchased product packaging to sustainably certified materials (FSC®, PEFC™, EU Ecolabel or comparable standards) or consisting of more than 70% recycled materials at ALDI Nord, depending on availability by end of 2020. The requirement refers to all own-brand products within the standard product ranges, seasonal products and food specials.

Project ongoing. 70% of packaging was certified in 2020.

100% reusable, recyclable or compostable packaging by end of 2025

100% of own-brand packaging at ALDI Nord to be reusable, recyclable or compostable by end of 2025.

Project ongoing.

15% less packaging by end of 2025

Reduction of the total weight of own-brand packaging
material at ALDI Nord (excluding fruit and vegetables) by
15 % – proportional to sales – by end of 2025 (base year 2020).

Project ongoing.

Reusable nets for fruit and vegetables

Rollout of reusable nets for fruit and vegetables in all stores of the ALDI companies.

Project ongoing. Offered in Germany, Denmark, Portugal and Spain.

No more disposable plastic carrier bags (except knot bags) by end of 2021

No more disposable plastic carrier bags (except knot bags) by end of 2021: To achieve this goal, the assortment of multipleuse carrier bags is to be expanded. These bags should be repairable and/or washable and should be recognisable as reusable, taking into account haptics and carrying comfort. Bags that do not meet these requirements are not covered by this goal. Paper bags are considered separately.

Project ongoing. Only reusable carrier bags in Belgium/Luxembourg, Denmark, France (according to definition in French law), Germany, the Netherlands and Poland. In progress: Portugal and Spain. Here, the last disposable bags will be sold in 2021. 

Ban of single-use plastic products by end of 2020

End the sale of single-use plastic products such as plates, cutlery, cups, straws, stirrers and cotton buds in all ALDI companies by end of 2020. Indispensable articles should be replaced by more environmentally-friendly alternatives or reusable variants.

Goal achieved.

100% unpackaged organic fruit and vegetable articles or in environmentally friendly packaging by end of 2023

100% of our organic products (organic fruit and vegetables) will be unpackaged or use environmentally friendly packaging in all ALDI companies by end of 2023. The use of plastic is to be reduced to a minimum – taking into account product quality and food losses.

Project ongoing.

Expansion of unpackaged articles in the fruit and vegetable sector to at least 40% by end of 2025

At least 40% of fruit and vegetable products will be unpackaged in the stores of all ALDI companies by end of 2025. For products which require packaging, only sustainable and environmentally friendly packaging will be used.

Project ongoing. Already achieved in Portugal and Poland.

No plastic interlayers in crates by end of 2021

100% of all plastic interlayers in crates for fruit and vegetables in all ALDI companies will be removed by end of 2021.

Project ongoing. Already achieved in the Netherlands (only cardboard layers used), Belgium: 95% of all interlayers in crates for fruit and vegetables in bulk made of cardboard (end of 2020).

Optimise composition of 100% of products for children by end of 2021

Standardise the criteria for products for children at ALDI Nord according to national guidelines while striving to comply with the WHO recommendation. Products for children that do not comply will be delisted or relabelled by the end of 2021. Optimise all products for children, regardless of product group.

Project ongoing.

Avoid marketing for children of unhealthy choices and promote healthier products by end of 2021

Avoid marketing unhealthy products for children and advertise and promote healthy products (including fruit and vegetables) in all ALDI companies end of 2021 except special offers e.g. christmas.

Project ongoing.

Launch own brands for products for children by end of 2021

Launch and campaign a new ALDI children's brand by end of 2021.

Project ongoing.

Cooperate at least with one partner on national
or international level on product range for children
by end of 2021

Cooperation with suppliers, organisations and experts for
improving current product ranges for children and for working on innovations for all ALDI companies by end of 2021.

Project ongoing.

Improved nutrient composition in 100% of the defined product groups by end of 2022

Upgrade products through optimised nutritional composition (e.g. reduce salt, sugar or fat, or increase fibres) and offer reliable product ranges for customers with special dietary needs in the product groups Breakfast, Dairy, Chilled Convenience, Freezer and Non-Alcoholic Beverages in all ALDI companies by end of 2022.

Project ongoing.

Extend nutritional labelling

Introduction of nutritional label (e.g. Nutri-Score,
The Keyhole) in all ALDI countries for own-brand products.

Project ongoing. ALDI France and ALDI Belgium started to use the label in 2020. At the beginning of 2021, ALDI Nord Germany, ALDI Spain and ALDI Portugal registered the first brands. These will be launched in stores later this year.

Improve labelling and communicate sustainable added values

Improve labelling and communicate sustainable added values, such as animal welfare, vegan, organic, improved nutritional labelling and social projects in all ALDI companies.

Project ongoing.

Expanding organic assortment

Identify the gaps in the organic assortment in each ALDI
country and each product group, and listing of missing
products in the assortment.

Project ongoing. 1,290 products in 2020; +9.5%
compared to the previous year.

Expanding vegetarian and vegan assortment

Expansion of the ranges of vegetarian and vegan products,
including certification (e.g. V-Label) in all ALDI companies.

Project ongoing. 633 products in 2020; +27,4%
compared to the previous year.

Introduction of own brand for vegetarian and vegan products for all new products/purchases end of 2021

Introduction of an own brand for vegetarian and vegan
products for all newly purchased/newly listed products
in all ALDI countries end of 2021.

Project ongoing.

Labelling 100 % of vegetarian and vegan products for all new products/purchases starting in 2021

100 % labelling of all vegetarian and vegan products
(V-label/vegan flower) for all newly purchased/newly listed
products in all ALDI companies, with a focus on cosmetics, personal care, health & beauty, starting in 2021.

Project ongoing.

Guideline for dealing with food loss by end of 2020

Introduction of a guideline for dealing with food that is no
longer saleable in the ALDI stores by end of 2020 (formerly
2017).

Goal achieved. Publication in March 2021.

Integrating 100% of all stores in a partnership to reduce food waste by end of 2021

Integrate 100% of all ALDI stores in cooperations with NGOs to reduce food waste by 2021 (e.g. Tafel, Too Good To Go, Refood). The goal is reached as soon as every store works regularly* with one or more defined potential partners.

_{*Regularly means enabling the redistribution of food surplus as often as possible from both sides.}

Project ongoing. 80.9% stores donated unsalebale food in 2020. +6.2% compared to the previous year.

Offer products from food surplus by end of 2021

Develop products made from food surplus and introduction
of at least one product in defined product groups by end of
2021 at ALDI Nord.

Project ongoing.

100% labelling of all national products for all new
products/purchases by end of 2021

100% labelling of all national products e.g. with national flag by end of 2021 for all newly purchased/newly listed products in all ALDI companies. Scope: Fruit & Vegetable, Dairy, Fresh Meat & Fish.

Project ongoing.

Develop regional product ranges in each ALDI country by end of 2021

Development of regional product ranges in each ALDI country by end of 2021. Scope: Fruit & Vegetable, Dairy, Fresh Meat & Fish.

Project ongoing.

100% vegetarian and vegan soy-based products with
sustainable soy by end of 2021

Conversion of 100% of vegetarian and vegan own-brand soy-based products to soy of European origin or certified soy, and support of soy alternatives, e.g. pea-based products, by end of 2021 at ALDI Nord.

Project ongoing.

100% RSPO-certified palm oil by end of 2019

Transition to physically RSPO-certified palm oil for all
own-brand products containing palm oil (Roundtable on
Sustainable Palm Oil – RSPO) by end of 2019 (formerly 2018)
at ALDI Nord.

Goal achieved. 99.3% in 2020. The figure refers to physically certified palm oil, palm kernel oil and derivatives. While we constantly strive to increase this share, derivatives and fractions are not always available in physically certified quality and are therefore covered by us via Book & Claim certificates.

Extension of certified sustainable coffee by end of 2020

Transition to certified sustainable coffee (UTZ/Rainforest Alliance, Fairtrade, organic) for defined own-brand products by end of 2020 at ALDI Nord.

Goal achieved.

40% certified sustainable resources of herbal tea and fruit infusions by end of 2020

Increase the share of certified sustainable resources (UEBT/UTZ, EU organic logo, Fairtrade or UTZ/Rainforest Alliance Certified™ label) of herbal tea and fruit infusions in own-brand products to 40 per cent by end of 2020 at ALDI Nord.

Goal achieved.

100% sustainably certified wood by end of 2020

Transition of all wood and wood-based products to sustainably certified materials (FSC®, PEFC™, EU Ecolabel or comparable standards) by end of 2020 at ALDI Nord.

Goal achieved. 93.2% in 2020. We consider our goal to be achieved, as exceptional cases are examined and compliance with our requirements as well as changeovers are demanded.

100% sustainable cotton by end of 2025

Use of sustainable cotton (e.g. GOTS, OCS 100/blended,
Fairtrade, recycled cotton, BCI, CmiA) for all clothing
and home textiles in all ALDI companies by end of 2025.

Project ongoing. Publication of International
Cotton Purchasing Policy in 2020; 64.1% in 2020; +27.9 percentage points compared to the previous year.

100% certified flowers and plants

Continuously increase share of certified sustainable plants and flowers (e.g. GLOBALG.A.P. in combination with GRASP or alternative standards) in all ALDI companies.

Project ongoing.

Social evaluation of all producers of fruit and vegetables

Continuously increase the share of certified sustainable fruit and vegetables (e.g. GLOBALG.A.P. in combination with GRASP or alternative standards) in all ALDI companies.

Project ongoing.

Extension of animal welfare criteria

Ongoing expansion of test and certification systems and own
standards in all ALDI companies that go beyond the statutory
requirements and include animal welfare aspects.

Project ongoing. Intensive efforts were made to further raise the level of animal welfare on a broad scale in 2020. We will publish an update of the IAWP in 2021; the goal will then be achieved.

Ban on all defined chemical substances in 2020

Ban on specific groups of chemical substances in the
manufacture of own-brand products, in the product groups
clothing, home textiles and footwear, by end of 2020
(ALDI Detox Commitment) and ongoing in all ALDI countries.

Project ongoing. It became apparent that
the industry will not meet its obligations under the Detox Commitment in 2020. Following the adopted roadmap, several Detox progress reports and the final report were published.
However, the challenges are significant, so the work with partners in the supply chain will be continued to improve chemicals management in the coming years and to pursue the defined goals.

After the end of the ALDI Detox Commitment, a continuous improvement process will be pursued to make further progress towards gradually eliminating hazardous chemicals within the supply chains. Due to its complexity, continuous work and measures will be needed to achieve the goal step by step. Therefore we will define new goals that contribute to this goal.

Participation in sector initiatives

Expansion of dialogue with major stakeholder groups, especially through participation in sector initiatives in all ALDI countries.

Project ongoing.

Identify impacts on human rights and implement transparent reporting according to our due diligence strategy.

We aim to conduct and publish up to 12 Human Rights Impact Assessments (HRIAs) – at least one assessment for each high-risk supply chain – by end of 2025. We will start by conducting three HRIAs by end of 2021.

New goal.

Establish a grievance mechanism.

Implement grievance mechanisms in all high-risk supply chains by 2025.

New goal.

Further implementation of Corporate Responsibility Supplier Evaluations.

Rollout of Corporate Responsibility Supplier Evaluation (CRSE) in all high-risk supply chains by 2027.

New goal.

40% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions by end of 2021

40% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions in all
ALDI companies by end of 2021, compared to the reference
year 2015.

Project ongoing. 31% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions in 2020, compared to the reference year 2015.

The focus was on increasing efficiency. In the next step, further efficiency measures will be planned and implemented with an increased focus on green power/greening.

Installation of photovoltaic systems in stores

Increasing the ratio of ALDI stores equipped with
photovoltaic systems through continuous expansion.

Project ongoing. 777 of the stores equipped with
photovoltaic systems; +34% compared to the
previous year.

LED lighting in all new stores by end of 2019

Introduction of LED lighting in all new ALDI stores
(interior and outdoor lighting) by end of 2019.

Goal partially achieved. LED lighting technology
has been installed at new stores in all countries
since 2016. We are continuing the conversion
progress for outdoor lighting.

LED lighting in existing stores

Review of conversion of existing ALDI stores in the portfolio
to LED lighting.

Goal achieved.

LED lighting in distribution centres

Review of conversion of ALDI distribution centres to LED
lighting.

Project ongoing. In Belgium, Denmark and Germany, the changeover has already been completed. In France, the Netherlands, Poland and Spain, the switch to LED in distribution centres is planned or being implemented.

ALDI Nord encourages strategic suppliers, who are responsible for 75% of supply chain emissions, to set science-based reduction targets

Encourage our suppliers who represent at least 75% of Scope 3 Category 1 emissions to set their own Science Based Targets by 2024.

New goal.