Health and sustainability go hand in hand – ALDI Netherlands

Health and sustainability go hand in hand – ALDI Netherlands

ALDI Netherlands went the extra mile in 2019 to support customers on the road to a healthy and sustainable lifestyle. In a country with more bicycles than people, protecting the environment and the climate also plays an important role.

In the Netherlands, we aim to support our customers in making healthier choices. Alongside projects to improve our products with less sugar and salt, we worked on the healthy nutrition partnership with the foundation JOGG and the super partnership with the National School Ontbijt.

We strive to make sustainable grocery shopping accessible for everyone, by offering products with sustainability certifications such as Beter Leven for animal welfare and PlanetProof for fruits, vegetables and dairy products, at affordable ALDI prices. We also support our customers with the ALDI Transparency Code (ATC), which creates transparency regarding the origins of poultry, beef and pork. In addition, we provide information on shopping responsibly through our sustainability awareness campaign and sustainability labels.

When it comes to preventing food waste, we work closely with Voedselbanken Nederland. Following the elimination of disposable shopping bags in 2017, we turned our attention to our fruit and vegetable bags. They will no longer be freely available, but instead sold for a symbolic amount of one cent. We plan the introduction of these bags in 2020. We have also signed the Plastic Pact NL, which aims for 100 per cent recyclability, 20 per cent plastic reduction and 35 per cent use of recycled plastic (in packaging) by 2025.

ALDI Netherlands has a particular interest in working to protect the climate – after all, one third of the country lies below sea level. That is why we work hard to reduce CO2 emissions. Newly opened stores have an energy rating of A+++ or higher. ALDI Netherlands has been powered by exclusively green energy since 2015.

Our highlights

30000000 litres

of milk certified

ALDI Netherlands supports dairy farmers who take extra measures on animal welfare and the environment. We have already converted more than 30,000,000 litres of Dutch dairy products to certified sustainable goods (for example PlanetProof).

2750

schools

ALDI Netherlands works hard to encourage healthy nutrition for children. During the week of the National School Ontbijt, an initiative focussing on healthy breakfasts for primary school children, we reached around 2,750 schools.

 

ALDI Neatherlands in profile

Regional companies
9
Stores
492
Total ALDI employees
11,086
Year of market entry
1973
Website
www.aldi.nl

Progress on national goals 2019

Customer & Product

Goal

Description and scope

Status 2019 & next steps

SDG

20% less plastic packaging by end of 2025

Reduction of the total weight of own-brand product plastic packaging in the Netherlands by 20% by end of 2025 (base year 2017)

Project ongoing.
Since 2019, we have no longer sold plates, cups or cotton buds made of disposable plastic.

SDG 12

100% recyclable packaging by end of 2025

100% of our own-brand product packaging in the Netherlands recyclable by end of 2025

Project ongoing.
Trajectories started with suppliers to enhance recyclability.

SDG 12

35% use of recycled plastic by end of 2025

35% use of recycled plastic for our own-brand product plastic packaging in the Netherlands by 2025

Project ongoing.
Increase of product packaging with recycled content, more projects to follow.

SDG 12

Alternative bag concepts by end of 2020

All stores that sell loose fruits and vegetables in the Netherlands to offer a single-use bio-based fruit and vegetable bag and a multi-use bag by end of 2020

Project ongoing.
Internal preparations initiated.

SDG 12

Reduced salt and sugar

Expansion of efforts in the Netherlands to reduce the salt and sugar content in additional own-brand products

Project ongoing.
In 2019, we focused on reducing salt in dried savoury snacks, fresh meat products and savoury bread rolls, and reducing salt and fat content in ready-to-eat meals.

SDG 02

100% PlanetProof label for all Dutch fruit and vegetable products by end of 2019

Labelling of all fruit and vegetable products grown in the Netherlands with the PlanetProof sustainability seal by end of 2019

Goal not achieved.
We are working on meeting our targets in 2020 and already reached 80% by end of 2019. During the year we added more and more PlanetProof fruit and vegetables such as apples, pears, mushrooms and tomatoes.

SDG 12

No children's marketing on unhealthy products by end of 2020

No children's marketing on unhealthy products in the Netherlands by end of 2020

Project ongoing:
Category Managers informed and packaging design for children's marketing changed.

100% labelling with Beter Leven for animal-based products

Transition of products in the Netherlands containing resources of animal origin, or processed animal resources, to the criteria of the one star Beter Leven sustainability label (minimum standard)

Project ongoing.
In 2019, we expanded our ranges of meat products with the Beter Leven label.

SDG 12

100% chicken according to ALDI Kip animal welfare criteria or Beter Leven label in 2019

In 2019, all fresh chicken and chicken meat products (except Halal) in the Netherlands came from chickens that are raised according to the ALDI Kip animal welfare criteria or Beter Leven.

Goal achieved (for all but one product).

Expansion of meat products with ATC

Expansion of the ALDI Transparency Code (ATC) in the Netherlands for own-brand products to cold cuts.

Project ongoing.
In 2019, we started working, together with suppliers, to expand the ALDI Transparency Code to cold cuts. In 2020 we expect the first products with ATC.

Climate & Environment

Goal

Description and scope

Status 2019 & next steps

SDG

Collection point for batteries, lamps and small electrical appliances by end of 2019

All Dutch stores to have a recycling collection point (‘inzamelmeubel’) for batteries and small electrical appliances by end of 2019.

Goal achieved.

SDG 12

Introduction of an energy management system by end of 2018

Nationwide ISO 50001 certification by end of 2018

Postponed until further notice.

SDG 07
Employees & Community

Goal

Description and scope

Status 2019 & next steps

SDG

Promotion of health awareness

Continuation and expansion of efforts in the Netherlands to promote health awareness among customers and employees

Project ongoing.
Main focus in 2019 was promoting healthy eating to children, e.g. by working together with a school class to hear their advice for our stores and by donating bread for the National School Ontbijt week.

SDG 03

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