Aldi Ireland has announced it is launching new home compostable trays made from sugarcane across all its multi-award winning premium Specially Selected Irish steaks range.
The new packaging, which was developed exclusively for Aldi and is the first of its kind in Ireland, will see more than 67 tonnes of plastic removed from Aldi’s 145 Irish stores each year.
Customers will see the innovative new trays in stores from Monday, 21 June 2021.
Aldi said has been working with its long-term Irish supplier, ABP Food Group, since August 2018 to develop the packaging solution, made from environmentally friendly sugarcane pulp which is a rapidly renewable resource, as an alternative to traditional plastic trays.
“Developing this innovative new material for our steak range is a first in Irish retail, and our long-term supplier ABP Food Group has been instrumental in making this switch in line with our plastic reduction programme," said John Curtin, Aldi group buying director.
Fully Recyclable
The move will mean that customers will be able to place the steak trays in their compost heap at home or put them in their brown bin.
In addition, the trays are fully recyclable meaning customers can place them in their recycling bins if needed.
Aldi is also removing the cardboard boxes, resulting in a 52 tonne reduction of packaging, the retailer said.
“Developing this market-leading eco-friendly material in partnership with Aldi is the result of almost three years of research and development," commented Brian Frazer, key account manager with ABP Ireland.
"We’re proud to see the finished product, which is a first in Irish retail, on shelves and to know it will make a real difference to Aldi’s overall sustainability goals," he added.
The initiative is part of Aldi’s long-term plastic and packaging reduction programme, which is working to ensure 100% of Aldi’s own-label packaging is reusable, recyclable or compostable by the end of next year, and to reduce plastic packaging on all Aldi products by 50% by 2025.
2021 Checkout – your source for the latest Irish retail news. Article by Donna Ahern. For more packaging news click here. Click sign up to subscribe to Checkout.
