Talking Retail Grocery and product news for independent retailers
Four household staples – basmati rice, brown rice, penne pasta and wholewheat fusilli – are available to buy loose in store. The products are available by weight, and Aldi will provide customers with free paper bags that are fully recyclable and made of FSC-certified material.
The move could remove more than 130 tonnes – or more than 21 million pieces – of plastic annually from stores.
The trial is available at one store in Ulverston, Cumbria, but if successful, Aldi will look to develop its refillable options in other stores in the future.
Richard Gorman, plastics and packaging director at Aldi, said: “We’re always looking for new ways to reduce waste plastic and limit packaging, as many of our shoppers are increasingly conscious of the environment and their impact on it.
“We hope local customers embrace the trial and we will use their feedback to inform any future plans around refillable products.”
Aldi, which has been carbon neutral since January 2019, is also on track to have all own-label products as recyclable, reusable or compostable by 2022, and branded products sold at Aldi by 2025.
