• Aldi plans to cut at least 25% of all its plastic packaging by 2025.
• It is one of a range of measures the company is implementing to reduce the use of plastics.
• Aldi also wants to eliminate single use plastics such as straws and cotton buds from its stores.

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You may already have one — or many — coloured recyclable bags from Aldi but the supermarket giant is taking things one step further.

Aldi plans to cut at least 25% of all its plastic packaging from its product range by 2025, one of several new sustainability targets the company announced on Tuesday.

Among the commitments is a plan to phase out single use plastics such as cotton buds, plastic plates and straws from its stores by the end of 2020. Aldi also wants to cut down the amount of plastic packaging used its in fresh food range by using sustainable options instead and to include 30% recycled materials in its plastic packaging by the end of 2025.

In addition, Aldi committed to publicly report these goals.

Aldi Australia, Managing Director of Buying, Oliver Bongardt, said reducing the amount of plastics in store would support Australia’s circular economy — a system of trading that focuses on reducing, reusing and recycling products.

He added that while Aldi wants to “remove plastics immediately”, the process will take years, not weeks.

“We are completely invested in the important journey of reducing waste and we stand committed to quantify our progress over the coming years,” Bongardt said in a statement.

Australian Packaging Covenant Organisation CEO, Brooke Donnelly, said Aldi’s announcement made a significant contribution to sustainable packaging in Australia. “[It] demonstrates that sustainable packaging isn’t just good for the environment; it also makes good business sense and can drive a range of positive commercial benefits,” she said.

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