A SUPERMARKET is trialling selling several of its vegetable lines without plastic packaging at all its Scottish stores.
In a bid to reduce plastic waste, Aldi will sell its cabbages and cauliflowers without the packaging.
It estimates that the six-week trial will save half a ton of plastic, and if rolled out across the UK, remove more than 110 tonnes of plastic wrapping a year from fresh produce lines.
Fritz Walleczek, managing director of corporate responsibility at Aldi UK, said: “We’re working hard to reduce plastic, but we also need to ensure that reducing packaging doesn’t lead to unnecessary food waste.
“We’re hoping the outcome of this trial will be positive, and something that we can roll out across the rest of the UK.”
The move follows the supermarket’s decision to phase out black plastic trays on four of its fresh produce lines, due to the difficulty in recycling them.
They were replaced with clear, recyclable alternatives last year.
This latest trial, which is now under way, will focus on five of Aldi’s vegetable lines.
Its savoy cabbage, red cabbage, white cabbage, pointed cabbage and cauliflower will not be packaged in plastic.
The supermarket firm claims to have replaced more than 2500 tonnes of plastic with recyclable alternatives since March 2018.
Its stated goal is to achieve 100% recyclable, reusable or compostable packaging across own-brand products by 2022.
It comes as the firm this year marks the 25th anniversary of its first store in Scotland and the 10th anniversary of the establishment of its dedicated department for buying Scottish produce.
The firm has 85 stores across Scotland, and is opening seven new sites across the country this year.
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