Aldi Australia has been ranked last among major Australian supermarkets for plastic packaging reduction and transparency, as per the Australian Marine Conservation Society's (AMCS) Unwrapped 2024 audit. The audit evaluates supermarkets on plastic waste management, focusing on reduction, transparency, commitments to alternatives, and progress on reusable packaging.
Initially unscored due to a delayed sustainability report, Aldi has now received a score of 16 per cent, the lowest among its peers. Comparatively, Woolworths scored 38 per cent, Metcash 23 per cent, and Coles 20 per cent. The audit highlights the need for stronger accountability and governmental action to address plastic pollution.
Tara Jones, AMCS Packaging Program Manager, expressed disappointment, stating, "Aldi once led Australia's supermarkets in reducing plastic packaging and publishing information on its plastic packaging use, so it's disappointing that it has fallen behind the rest of the field so quickly." She emphasized the necessity for Australian supermarkets to enhance transparency and reduce plastic use.
Aldi has been criticized for not disclosing its packaging footprint or actions towards its reduction target. Despite claims of improving packaging circularity, the AMCS audit found no evidence of reduced plastic use. Aldi stated that 84.1 per cent of its exclusive brand packaging is recyclable, reusable, or compostable, and it uses 34 per cent recycled materials on average.
Jones noted that Australian supermarkets lag behind those in other countries in reporting transparency. The AMCS urges supermarkets to improve transparency and reduce plastic use.
Source: Yahoo News