Netherlands: Lidl published its latest sustainability report
- DRC Discount Retail Consulting GmbH
- 13 hours ago
- 2 min read
Discount Retail Chain Lidl Netherlands has published its new sustainability report for 2024–2025. Lidl publishes a sustainability report every year in accordance with the guidelines of the Global Reporting Initiative (GRI). In these reports, it shares the progress on our sustainability goals.
In it, the supermarket chain announces that it is fully committed to net-zero emissions by 2050. The targets for 2030 and 2034 have also been further tightened. Further highlights are:
🌍 Climate and Environment
Net-Zero Commitment: Lidl Nederland, as part of the Schwarz Group, is committed to Net-Zero CO2 emissions by 2050 across its entire value chain (Scope 1, 2, and 3).
Supplier Requirements: They have significantly tightened their climate requirements, obligating suppliers responsible for 75% of product-related emissions to set their own Science Based Targets Initiative (SBTi) goals before 2026.
Electric Logistics: They are working towards 100% electric supply of all stores using electric trucks by 2030. Over 65 battery-electric trucks are already in use in 16 countries, including the Netherlands.
100% Gas-Free Stores: Lidl was the first supermarket chain in the Netherlands to transition all of its stores away from natural gas, using electric heat pumps for heating and cooling.
Renewable Energy: They are committed to using energy that is demonstrably sustainable and generated in the Netherlands, including a recent Corporate Power Purchase Agreement (CPPA) for large-scale solar energy.
🥦 Healthy and Sustainable Diets
Protein Transition: Lidl is a leader in promoting plant-based diets. They have lowered the prices of many plant-based analogues to match or beat their conventional meat/dairy counterparts and placed them in the same aisles.
Planetary Health Diet: Their purchasing policy is explicitly based on the EAT-Lancet Planetary Health Diet principles to better link health and sustainability.
Sustainable Fruit & Vegetables (AGF):
Since the beginning of 2023, all their potatoes, vegetables, and fruit grown in the Netherlands are certified as 'On the Way to PlanetProof' or Organic.
Lidl is also developing a new international sustainability standard for European conventional fruit and vegetable producers focusing on biodiversity (as a GlobalG.A.P. add-on).
♻️ Waste and Resources
Food Waste Reduction: Lidl aims to reduce food waste by 50% by 2030. As of 2022, they were on track with a 31% reduction due to initiatives like their 'Verspil-me-niet' (Don't-Waste-Me) boxes and donating food surplus to Dutch Food Banks (Voedselbanken Nederland).
Plastic Reduction: The Schwarz Group, which includes Lidl, exceeded its original reduction target of 30% for plastic in private-label packaging and transport aids by 2025.
Lidl's strategy in the Netherlands is to make a healthy and sustainable lifestyle affordable and accessible to everyone.
Comments