Aldi supermarkets has achieved a 30 per cent reduction refrigeration energy in a trial to retrofit chiller doors in its facilities, as part of the growing trend for supermarkets to demonstrate they are responding to consumer concerns on sustainability and climate.
The trial for the Germany based supermarket chain has now been expanded to 15 additional stores across Victoria, Queensland, and Western Australia.
Daniel Baker, ALDI Australia’s sustainability director, said “Data shows that there are significant energy savings seen in our stores when we put the doors on our chillers, and even though we are powered by 100 per cent renewable electricity, we still are looking for ways to innovate in stores to reduce our electricity consumption.”
“You wouldn’t leave your fridge door open at home,” he said.
He said shoppers could now shop assured, knowing their “hard-earned dollars” aren’t spent at the planet’s expense.
The movement to cater to changing sentiment in consumers’ awareness of sustainability imperatives has been growing for several years now.
A survey by PWC, showed that 48 per cent of Australian respondents stated that they preferred to purchase from businesses with strong company values and commitments to doing the right thing, rising from 32 per cent in 2019.
Retail giants Coles and Woolworths have both signalled greener practices, albeit in early steps.
Launching its sustainability agenda in 2021, Coles committed to net zero by 2050 with hopes of reducing Scope 1 and 2 greenhouse gas emissions by more than 75 per cent by the end of the 2030 financial year.
Woolworths committed to a 2025 Sustainability Plan with goals and targets based on the UN 2030 Sustainable Development Goals. It says it’s reduced by 31 per cent its scope 1 and 2 emissions since 2015 and achieved total renewable electricity in South Australia (there are days in Adelaide when the grid is 100 per cent renewable).
Aldi embarked on its own sustainability program launched in 2019, with a commitment to 13 sustainability goals, two of which has already been achieved.
This includes achieving 100 per cent renewable electricity across all business operations in 2021 and achieving FSC (Forest Stewardship Council certified), PEFC (Programme for the Endorsement of Forest Certification) or 70 per cent recycled certifications for all paper and pulp-based packaging.
In its latest annual report, the company said that it was still on track to achieve nine of its 11 remaining goals despite a 5.2 per cent year-on-year customer growth in the second quarter of 2023.
Sustainability Commitments
Commitments include:
- zero waste to landfill by 2025 – 82 per cent diverted from landfill
- zero food waste to landfill by 2023 – 30 per cent diverted from landfill
- reduce plastic packaging by 25 per cent by the end of 2025 – 12.2 per cent reduction
- reduce plastic packaging in fresh produce – 21.7 per cent reduction
- reduction or replacement of black plastic packaging – 55.3 per cent reduction
- 100 per cent recyclable or compostable Aldi-exclusive brand packaging – 83 per cent achieved
- using recycled materials across 50 per cent of all packaging by 2025 – 32 per cent recycled content
- public report of all goals – a report has been made annually since 2020
For the sake of full transparency, the chain admitted that it was experiencing delays with two of its commitment.
They included phasing out problematic single-use plastics by the end of 2020 and using Australasian Recycling Label (ARL) on its home branded products by the end of 2022. Notably, ARL is currently used on 78 per cent of branded products.
The company said in the report that the delays were due to “unforeseen factors including global supply chain challenges, technical limitations, and the disruption stemming from the COVID-19 pandemic” but that it “remain committed to these goals”.
Tackling waste
As part of its commitment to minimise food waste, the company has partnered with more than 300 organisations, such as Foodbank and OzHarvest, to collect and distribute food rescues from stores. The store claims to have contributed 8.75 million meals in 2022.
The supermarket also claims that it has stopped 888 tonnes of plastic from entering circulation each year due to phasing out reusable plastic shopping bags from stores and offering paper bags instead.
The company claims it has saved 5500 tonnes of plastic from entering the landfill since 2019.
Recognition for its efforts
Baker added that the supermarket’s motto, “making a good difference,” acknowledges the business’s responsibility to give back to the community, positively contribute to the world and encompass sustainability in all parts of the operation.
The supermarket giant was named Finder’s Green Supermarket of the Year last year.
“We are proud of our achievements and progress, but we know there’s always more to be done, which is why we’re committed to continuous improvement and being transparent with our customers as we deliver on our sustainability goals,” Baker said.