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ALDI 1LTR IRISH MILK MOVES TO FULLY RENEWABLE AND PLANT-BASED PACKAGING

Aldi Ireland announced that all its 1ltr fresh Irish milk cartons are moving to fully renewable and plant-based packaging. The change will affect more than 13.7 million cartons of milk annually.

The move to renewable packaging, which sees cartons being made from natural materials such as sugar cane derivatives, has already been implemented across some of Aldi’s Clonbawn fresh Irish milk range, including 1ltr organic, skimmed, protein and buttermilk, as well as 500ml full fat milk. The remaining milk cartons will move to renewable packaging by August 2020, and all cartons will be fully recyclable.

The new cartons cost between 25.5% and 31% less CO2 to produce, meaning more than 113 tonnes CO2e (carbon dioxide equivalent) will be saved annually once changes are fully implemented.

Aldi has been working with two of its Irish suppliers, Arrabawn and Lee Strand, over the past 12 months to bring the changes into effect. To ensure customers are aware of these changes, Aldi has introduced a new “Fully renewable” logo which customers can look out for in stores, making it easier to identify products with the new packaging.

Commenting, John Curtin, Aldi’s Group Buying Director, said: “Moving our 1ltr Irish milk range to fullyrenewable and plant-based packaging is our latest step towards a more environmentally-friendly future. The new design means cartons cost less CO2 to produce, lowering their environmental impact. While materials such as sugar cane derivatives are being used in the making of these new cartons, customers can rest assured that our fresh milk still has the same great taste as always. We understand customers are looking for more sustainable options when they shop, and at Aldi we are committed to moving towards a more sustainable future.”

To date, Aldi has implemented a series of changes in stores such as introducing compostable and recyclable packaging in its fresh herb range, replacing black plastic trays with cardboard trays in our S/S Tomato range and introducing three new environmentally friendly bag options in its stores, saving the use of 12.5 million plastic bags annually.