Discounter Lidl has become the first Irish retailer to achieve gold standard ‘Road to Zero Waste’ certification, which acknowledges exemplary action in waste management.
The accreditation recognises companies that demonstrate practical measures that contribute to a circular economy and reduce the environmental impact of operations, with Lidl Ireland earning the honour due to its approach to sustainable construction, waste reduction, recycling and resource management.
‘Shift our thinking’
“Waste and its impact on the environment are some of the most urgent problems facing our planet and we need to shift our thinking and approach to managing waste,” commented Tim Ulbrich, chief operations officer at Lidl Ireland & Northern Ireland.
“As a significant retailer processing large volumes of material every day, we are acutely aware of the need for optimised waste management systems to ensure that we are consciously contributing to the circular economy and responsibly managing waste materials. Through innovation and action, we’ve developed a robust Zero Waste strategy which now sees waste prevention, waste reduction, recycling and anaerobic digestion operate at over a 95% level within the company.”
Lidl Ireland was previously awarded the title of Most Sustainable Retailer in the Ireland RepTrak Sustainability Index 2024, and the retailer continues to ramp up sustainability initiatives as it targets net zero by 2050, it noted.
It is currently developing what it describes as Ireland’s first net zero energy supermarket, located in Maynooth, which is scheduled to open in late 2025.
Recent initiatives
In recent years, Lidl has addressed food waste through its partnership with FoodCloud and introduction of ‘Waste Not’ fruit and veg boxes; addressed packaging through the introduction of in-store recycling stations at till points; and last year became the first retailer to reach 100 million container returns through its Deposit Return Scheme, nearly one fifth of the national total.
It has also collaborated with suppliers to incorporate recycled material into product packaging, such as using recycled PET from returned bottles in food trays.
“Our journey on the Road to Zero Waste accreditation has involved every single person in the company,” commented Hugh McAfee, senior logistics project manager at Lidl Ireland & Northern Ireland. “It’ s so important that every employee at Lidl Ireland and Lidl Northern Ireland understands how we handle and process our waste and leads by example in changing behaviour to support our goals.
“Every action, no matter how small, continues to help us uphold our gold standard accreditation and takes us one step further in our journey towards zero waste.” Read more here.
