Aldi Ireland has announced that it has banned the use of non-detectable black plastic trays as packaging across its entire fruit and vegetables range, saving over 450 tonnes of non-recyclable waste annually.
The move was announced today, as the German-based discount retailer further pledged to cut the use of plastic packaging across its product range by 25% over the next three years.
The first product to undergo the change was Aldi’s Irish-grown Specially Selected Tomatoes range, supplied by Flynn’s Tomatoes.
Aldi’s fresh fish range has already undergone the redesign, with clear recyclable packaging trays introduced.
Commitment To Sustainability
“Reducing the amount of plastic we produce is fundamental to our commitment to being a sustainable, responsible business,” Aldi Group Buying Director John Curtin said.
“We are constantly looking for new ways to reduce our environmental impact. This is another step towards achieving our ambitious goals on packaging.”
Séamus Clancy, CEO of Repak, added that the Irish public has woken up to the damage that plastics are doing to our environment, and praised Aldi for demonstrating its commitment to the environment.
“While black plastic trays are accepted in the household recycling bin, they are difficult for waste operator machinery to detect, so need to be sorted by hand,” Clancy said.
“We welcome this move from Aldi and its other efforts to reduce waste and improve Ireland’s recycling rates.”
© 2019 Checkout – your source for the latest Irish retail news. Article by Aidan O’Sullivan. Click sign-up to subscribe to Checkout.
