Aldi is the latest grocery store chain to up the ante when it comes to reducing waste. Last month, Trader Joe's announced its commitment to sustainability, and while those signature brown paper bags were an early sign of its aversion to plastic, Aldi has also been similarly eco-conscious. For example, it has never offered single-use plastic shopping bags.
But aside from bragging about sparing our oceans and landfills of over 15 billion plastic bags, Aldi has big plans to cut down even more on waste. When it comes to Aldi’s packaging philosophy, the company is taking it back to the basics with a goal to reduce, reuse, and recycle.
The company is starting with an ambitious plan to slap on a “How2Recycle” label on all of its exclusive consumable packaging, while also working with experts and suppliers to make the packaging easier to reuse by the end of the year. By 2025, Aldi hopes to reduce the amount of packaging materials it uses by 15%. It also aims to make the packaging of all exclusive products either reusable, recyclable, or compostable.
At the end of the day, the responsibility when it comes to waste reduction goes both ways. Yes, big companies should prioritize the environment over the bottom line and invest in sustainability. But then, we are all guilty of forgetting our reusable shopping bags and over-relying on single-use non-recyclables like plastic straws and waxed to-go coffee cups.