Cut-price supermarket Aldi has announced ambitious plans to become carbon neutral by next year.
The retailer is on track to hit net zero emissions by 2019, after installing 388 solar panel systems at its stores and distribution centres since 2012.
Aldi has also spent £20 million upgrading its fridges, freezers and other appliances with greener equipment, and secured a deal to use 100 per cent renewable electricity for its sites.
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Overall, the retailer has managed to cut its greenhouse gas emissions per square metre of its sales floor by 53 per cent in the past six years.
To achieve full carbon neutral status, Aldi said it would buy carbon credits and work with ClimatePartner to offset its remaining emissions from next year.
The offsets will help support carbon-cutting projects including forest protection in Peru, water purification in India, and the roll out of clean cook stoves in China.
Aldi’s corporate responsibility managing director Fritz Walleczek said: “Becoming carbon neutral is a key part of our corporate responsibility commitments.
“We are continually reviewing our operations to reduce emissions and be kinder to the environment, while also future-proofing our growing store portfolio for many years to come.”
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