While packaging is indispensable for many products, it often ends up as waste. The ALDI SOUTH Group recognises the need for change towards better practices. Together with our suppliers and partners, we are looking for ways to optimise our packaging and develop new solutions.
Offering a wide range of own-label products gives us control over our packaging, from design to disposal. Our efforts to reduce plastic usage and ensure recyclability contribute to waste reduction. We collaborate with packaging suppliers and recycling companies to increase the recycled content in our packaging and work towards a circular economy.
Within the ALDI SOUTH Group, we have implemented several initiatives to optimize packaging. These include switching to clear caps, setting up in-store collection systems, encouraging home composting, eliminating plastic shopping bags, and removing plastic shrink wrapping from bulk items. There is still a long way to go, but we are working hard to reduce our environmental impact.
Packaging helps us to deliver high quality products to our customers. It keeps food fresh, protects its contents, facilitates transport and informs our customers about the products. At the same time, packaging requires large amounts of raw materials, energy, water and effective waste management.
ALDI SOUTH Group is working closely with its business partners to promote more environmentally friendly packaging options. We have set ourselves ambitious targets, focusing on optimising the design of our own-brand packaging and working directly with packaging suppliers.
Packaging helps us to deliver high quality products to our customers. It keeps food fresh, protects its contents, facilitates transport and informs our customers about the products. At the same time, packaging requires large amounts of raw materials, energy, water and effective waste management.
ALDI SOUTH Group is working closely with its business partners to promote more environmentally friendly packaging options. We have set ourselves ambitious targets, focusing on optimising the design of our own-brand packaging and working directly with packaging suppliers.
Better by design: The new ALDI liquid dishwashing bottles
Harmonising packaging designs across ALDI SOUTH Group markets opens new opportunities to enhance sustainability and streamline our efforts. Recently, we made the decision to overhaul the packaging of our own-brand dishwashing liquid, which is sold across multiple European countries. Until then, we offered products with different bottle designs, weights, and levels of recycled content. While the bottles sold in the UK weighed 27g, they had only 22g in Austria and Germany.
For the redesign, we reduced the overall weight and changed the material composition. As a result, the new bottles allow 100% inclusion of recycled content (PCR) - excluding cap and label. Most countries offer dishwashing liquid with a transparent, lightweight bottle cap that improves recycling processes. Through these measures, we anticipate saving 108 tonnes of plastic annually by reducing both bottle and cap weight.
Packaging made from recycled content
ALDI SÜD Germany has chosen a new packaging design for its own-brand dishwasher caps. It is made from 92% recycled post-consumer polypropylene - or, in other words, recycled plastic from household waste. While the packaging is made almost entirely from recycled plastic, it’s also rated highly recyclable. This saves 60 tonnes of virgin plastic every year.
An achievement that has not gone unnoticed, as it won the German Packaging Award 2023 in the sustainability category and the WorldStar Award from the World Packaging Organisation.
ALDI's redefinition of wine packaging
Who said that wine bottles must be made of glass, measuring 750 milliliters, and weighing 365 grams? Following our mission to optimise packaging, we discovered new and creative ways to package the so-called drink of the gods. All versions indicated a significant reduction in raw material use, as well as a decrease in carbon emissions - as they say, many roads lead to Rome.
In addition to these projects, Aldi is reducing the average bottle weight of all its still wines by 8%. The new glass bottles will weigh 300g instead of the standard 365g. They will first be offered in the UK before being rolled out to other ALDI SOUTH Group markets. The transition process has already begun and will be completed by 2025.
ALDI UK has also launched flat wine bottles made of 100% recycled PET, which are fully recyclable. Weighing just 63 grams per unit, they are nearly seven times lighter than standard glass bottles.
This compact and lightweight design has many advantages: The square bottles stack efficiently, optimising storage space and allowing more items to be loaded onto pallets for transport. They are also shatterproof and stronger than standard glass bottles.
In addition to these projects, ALDI is reducing the average bottle weight of all its still wines by 8%. The new glass bottles will weigh 300g instead of the standard 365g. They will first be offered in the UK before being rolled out to other ALDI SOUTH Group markets. The transition process has already begun and will be completed by 2025.
Forming partnerships to improve recycling
We know that effective collaboration is essential in order to advance towards a circular economy for packaging. By forming partnerships and participating in projects across the packaging and plastics industry, we can improve current standards and processes. The ALDI SOUTH Group recognises the value of investigating and trialling innovative solutions, such as the use of digital watermarking technology on products.
