A positive model from an international brand, for supermarkets operating in Kosovo, to take similar actions in order to protect the environment. This can also serve as a model for civil society advocacy campaign.
The German supermarket Lidl has pledged to remove half a billion plastic fragments by the end of 2021, bringing a cumulative reduction of 1.5 billion, then removing another half a billion fragments by the end of 2022, resulting in a cumulative reduction in two billion.
Packaging items that have been removed to date include 24 million wrappers and plastic pieces from fresh fruits and vegetables; 25 million plastic caps from yogurt and other dairy products; 3.5 million pieces of plastic wrap from fresh flowers and 19 million plastic labels and bags from fruits and vegetables. Lidl in particular began offering reusable alternatives to fruit and vegetable bags as early as 2019.
“Problematic” plastics, including black plastic, expanded polyester and PVC, which have also been completely removed from the mainstream of food packaging.
In total, Lidl has reduced its plastic packaging production by 18.5%. It is trying to achieve a 20% reduction by early 2022 and claims it is on track to achieve this target. To ensure that paper alternatives are not causing unwanted negative impacts, the supermarket has pledged to use only fiber with natural content, from internationally certified responsible sources.
In addition to achieving plastic reduction, Lidl has also made progress in including the content of recycled plastic in packaging. This company has shown that it has achieved a commitment to ensure that 50% of its brand packaging is made using recycled content, initially set with a deadline until 2025.
The online platform www.environment-hub.org is supported by HumanRightivism, managed by the CDF Community Development Fund, through the Swedish Embassy in Pristina (SIDA).
