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ENJOY A MORE SUSTAINABLE CHRISTMAS WITH TOP TIPS FROM ALDI

Christmas is fast approaching, and whilst it is a time of joy, celebration and giving, it can also be a time of lots of unnecessary plastic and waste.

This year, ALDI has shared a series of top tips to help shoppers make more sustainable choices without sacrificing on the festive cheer.

From supporting Irish suppliers to reducing plastic waste, there are a number of ways to enjoy Christmas while helping to limit your impact on the environment.

Shop Seasonal and Buy Irish
To be kinder to the environment this Christmas, shop with the winter season in mind. Fruit and vegetables can often be cheaper – and tastier – if they’re in season in Ireland, and shopping seasonal will help cut food miles too. Keep your eyes peeled for ALDI’s weekly Super 6 offers, as these feature a range of fruit and veg that are in season at unbeatable prices.

We encourage you to show your support for Irish farmers by enjoying an Irish-grown Christmas dinner this year. This is easier than ever at ALDI with everything from Christmas turkeys to award-winning festive produce
all produced at Bord Bia quality approved farms. ALDI continues to work closely with local food and drink producers, spending €1.1 billion with its Irish supply-base every year.

Consider your Christmas cards
While some may prefer to send an e-card to share festive wishes with friends and family, many of us like to keep up the tradition of sending Christmas cards in the post.

Try to choose cards that have recyclable packaging and check the cards themselves are recyclable too. This year, ALDI has removed the plastic sleeves from its everyday range of greetings cards and has begun rolling
this out across its occasion cards, including Christmas. In total, this move will save 1.9 tonnes of plastic annually.

The Christmas range of cards at ALDI are also FSC-certified and glitter-free, making them easy to recycle.

ALDI will also donate up to 70 cents from each sale of its Charity Christmas Cards to its charity partner Barnardos, meaning you’re also doing your bit to help an amazing cause this Christmas.

Be smart about crackers
Traditional Christmas crackers often contain plastic gifts or are covered in glitter, meaning they are difficult to recycle.

Look for options where you can still enjoy the thrill of cracking them open while reducing your impact on the environment.

ALDI’s crackers contain gifts made from metal, wood and card, and none of the outer packaging of its own label and branded cracker lines contain plastic windows.

More recyclable gift wrapping
Traditional wrapping paper is often not recyclable due to the shiny coatings and mixed materials.

In fact, going glitter-free will further help reduce potential harm to the environment. As well as its greeting cards, ALDI’s Christmas wrapping paper, gift bags and gift wrap accessories are all glitter-free, without taking
the sparkle out of the festive season.

ALDI also removed the shrink wrap from its wrapping paper this year, saving half a tonne of plastic. Find ALDI’s range of Christmas cards, gift wrap and decorations in store now.

DIY your gifts
Crafting homemade gifts using ingredients and supplies adds a personal touch to your presents.

Whether it’s homemade jams, baked goods, or DIY hampers, these thoughtful gifts reduce packaging waste whilst showcasing your creativity.

Reduce food waste
Christmas is the perfect excuse for some indulgence; however, it can also result in a lot of food waste.

Create a meal plan and prepare a shopping list to ensure you only buy what you need. Also get creative with any leftovers beyond the usual turkey sandwiches with soups, curries, or casseroles.

Check out ALDI’s festive leftover recipe ideas here.

ALDI works closely with its partners FoodCloud and Too Good to Go to reduce food waste across its operations, having avoided over 1 million kgs of food from going to waste.