Lidl implements new preventive measures to prevent food waste. These measures include the launch of an anti-waste bag in the more than 650 stores that the chain has in Spain. This anti-waste bag is available for three euro and contains fruits and vegetables that do not meet conventional aesthetic standards but are still fully suitable for consumption, or that have suffered some type of damage in their packaging that doesn't affect their quality.
This measure was implemented in recent weeks in the more than 30 stores that the company has in the Canary Islands, managing to give out more than 20,000 kg of fruits and vegetables. After the success, the chain has decided to deploy this initiative in the rest of its stores in the country.
“Reducing food waste is one of our sustainability priorities. We are firmly committed to the prevention, planning, and efficient management of our assortment to minimize the stock of surplus products. The launch of the anti-waste bag is another measure that aims to encourage the purchase of fruits and vegetables that are still suitable for consumption. After the success we had in the Canary Islands, I am convinced that our customers in the rest of the country will also welcome this initiative in a very positive way,” stated Michaela Reischl, CSR director at Lidl Spain.
Other new actions against food waste
In parallel with the launch of the anti-waste bag, Lidl has been testing in the Canary Islands other actions to continue reducing food waste. After their success, it has also chosen to deploy them in its more than 650 stores in the country.
These actions include the application of a second discount (50%) on the last day of expiration on fresh items, such as salads, to move the products that are close to their expiration or best-before dates.
The company's commitment to reducing food waste
These new measures are part of the multiple initiatives that the chain has carried out for years in its commitment to reduce food waste by 30% by 2025 and by 50% by 2030.
To achieve this, the company has implemented efficient planning and management of its assortment via optimized and adjusted orders. It also donates food permanently and continuously through its stores to different local NGOs (more than 2.7 million kg in the last year), among other measures.
As a result, Lidl has become the first supermarket to achieve Bureau Veritas certification on the management system to minimize food waste (SG-MDA) in all its stores and logistics centers in Spain.
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