1. Home
  2. Countries
  3. Belgium/Luxembourg

Optimising packaging and energy efficiency – ALDI Belgium and ALDI Luxembourg

Optimising packaging and energy efficiency – ALDI Belgium and ALDI Luxembourg

ALDI Belgium and ALDI Luxembourg take a holistic view of sustainability, from sustainable packaging to food waste, and from renewable energy strategies to promoting healthy nutrition.

The sustainability focus in Belgium and Luxembourg is based on the CR strategic topics identified by the international materiality analysis. In the year under review, these included reduction of food waste, introduction of the Nutri-Score label and more sustainable packaging, installation of solar panels to protect the climate, and improvement of animal welfare conditions during the production of our products.

In 2021, 302 stores donated food surpluses to charitable associations, underscoring our commitment to tackling food waste.

We focus on optimising our packaging, reducing plastic (260 tonnes) and cardboard (24 tonnes) wherever possible, and increasing the availability of unpacked fruit and vegetables.

We also expanded our sustainable product ranges, for example, by introducing MSC certified canned tuna. Our seasonal chocolate products now have the FSI Fairtrade label, which certifies certain ingredients, such as cocoa, as Fairtrade. We also launched the CHOCEUR Choco Changer, a sustainable chocolate bar based on Tony’s open chain principles. We now label almost 300 of our products with the Nutri-score so as to aid our customers in making healthier choices.

Our climate-protection efforts have ensured that 111 stores and 7 distribution centres are fitted with solar panels on their roofs. 97.5 per cent of our stores have energy-efficient LED lighting, 44 stores have a climate-friendly CO2 cooling system, and 46 stores have vegetative roofs.

In the year under review, we also updated our National Animal Welfare Policy. We participated in the Better Chicken Commitment that involves us in joining forces with other retailers in order to improve husbandry conditions for all chickens used in fresh and frozen products by the end of 2026.

Our highlights

98

per cent of our own-brand packaging is recyclable

Optimising various packaging materials enabled us to reduce the amount of plastic by 260 tonnes and cardboard by 24 tonnes in 2021.

 

118

photovoltaic systems

111 photovoltaic systems on the roofs of our stores and 7 on our distribution centres. In total we generated around 9,149 MWh in 2021, equal to the annual energy consumption of around 4,970 households.

ALDI Belgium in profile

Regional companies 7
Stores 441
Total ALDI employees
7,927
Year of market entry 1976
Website
www.aldi.be

ALDI Luxembourg in profile

Regional companies
1
Stores 17
Total ALDI employees 182
Year of market entry 1991
Website
www.aldi.lu

Progress on national goals 2021

Customer & Product

Goal

Description and scope

Status 2021 & next steps

SDG

50% of PET beverage packaging made from recycled material by 2024

By end of 2021, 25% of our PET beverage packaging will be made from recycled PET. By end of 2024 this will be 50%.

Project ongoing.
Status 2021: 13% of PET beverages have recycled material; the next step is to reach 50%.

SDG 12

Increase Belgian origin of fruit and vegetables by 3–5% by end of 2021

By end of 2021, between 3 and 5% of our fruit and vegetables will be of Belgian origin.

Goal achieved.

Rollout of the reusable net for fruit and vegetables in all stores in Belgium and Luxemburg in 2023

Reusable bags for fruit and vegetables.

New goal.
The introduction of the reusable net is planned between the end of 2022 and the first quarter of 2023.

SDG 12

Rollout of the reusable bag for bread and pastries in all stores in Belgium and Luxembourg in 2022

Reusable bag for bakery products.

New goal.
The introduction of the reusable bag is planned for the middle to end of 2022.

SDG 02

Label 1,000 own-brand products with the Nutri-score nutritional label in Belgium and Luxembourg in 2022

Own-brand products in assortment.

New goal.

SDG 02

By end of 2022, 100% of our meat products should have an ALDI Transparency Code*

Labelling of all own-brand products containing at least 5% meat with the ATC code (fresh meat, canned meat, chilled and frozen meat products, and prepared meals).

Project ongoing.
In 2021, 89.4% of our meat products were labelled with the ALDI Transparency Code.

* The phrasing of the goal was adapted according to the requirements.

Supply Chain & Resources

Goal

Description and scope

Status 2021 & next steps

SDG

Switch from UTZ/RA-certified to Fairtrade cocoa (FSI) certified for defined products by end of 2022

Switch from UTZ/RA-certified to Fairtrade cocoa (FSI) certified by end of 2022 for all nationally procured products from the following scope: Moser Roth, breakfast cereal, seasonal confectionery, and hazelnut spreads.

Goal achieved. 

SDG 12

List at least one own-brand chocolate product that incorporates open-chain principles by end of 2021

List at least one own-brand chocolate product in standard range or as a special buy that incorporates Tony’s open chain principles by end of 2021.

Goal achieved. Launch of the Choceur Choco changer chocolate bar in assortment in January 2021.

SDG 12

More than 90% of fresh meat from Belgium

By end of 2021, more than 90% of fresh meat should come from Belgium.

Goal achieved.

 

By end of 2021, all drinking milk should be of Belgian origin

The scope covers drinking milk (fresh and ultra-high-temperature processed (UHT) milk).

Goal achieved.

Climate & Environment

Goal

Description and scope

Status 2021 & next steps

SDG

10% increase in stores with heat recuperation technology by end of 2021

Introduction of heat recuperation technology in more stores, leading to the elimination of natural gas for heating, reducing CO2 emissions.

Goal achieved.
We set a new goal for 2022.

SDG 07

35% increase in the number of Belgian and Luxembourg stores with solar panels by end of 2022 (2021: 111 stores - around 40 planned for 2022)

Increasing the ratio of ALDI stores equipped with photovoltaic systems through continuous expansion.

Project ongoing.

SDG 07

10% increase in stores with heat recuperation technology by end of 2022 (2021: 141 stores – around 15 planned in 2022)**

Introduction of heat recuperation technology in more stores, leading to the elimination of natural gas for heating, reducing CO2 emissions.

Project ongoing.
New calculation based on the numbers of 2021.

SDG 07

45% increase in stores with CO2 refrigeration technology by end of 2022. (2021: 44 stores – around 20 planned in 2022)*, **

Introduction of CO2 refrigeration technology in more stores, leading to the elimination of synthetic coolants and replacement with natural coolants, reducing CO2 emissions.

Project ongoing.

SDG 07

Installation of 130 electric charging points for vehicles on the grounds of the distribution centres and headquarters in Belgium in 2022

Introduction of electric charging stations, leading to more use of electric vehicles, reducing CO2 emissions.

New goal.

SDG 07

* The phrasing of the goal was adapted according to the requirements.

** The target year of the goal was adjusted.

Employees & Community

Goal

Description and scope

Status 2021 & next steps

SDG

Launch an app for employees in 2021

Improve internal communication to further engage and involve ALDI employees by launching an app for employees in 2021.

Goal achieved.
In 2021, we launched the ALDI & Me app with content made for and by employees.

00:00
01:00
02:00
03:00
04:00
05:00
06:00
07:00
08:00
09:00
10:00
11:00
12:00
13:00
14:00
15:00
16:00
17:00
18:00
19:00
20:00
21:00
22:00
23:00

 

    

regions.regionSwitchHeadline

regions.regionSwitchText
regions.regionSwitchTextExplicitSwitch