// Aldi scraps single-use plastic bags for loose fruit & veg across all 900 UK stores
// It will save 100 tonnes of plastic per year from going to landfills
// Shoppers encouraged to bring their own containers or buy reusable drawstring produce bags
Aldi has revealed the next step in its war on plastic by scrapping single-use bags for loose fruit and veg, a move that would save more than 100 tonnes of plastic per year.
The German discount grocer said the plastic bags in question will be removed from all its nearly 900 stores across the UK by the end of this year.
Instead, shoppers will be encouraged to bring their own containers or buy reusable drawstring produce bags, which are made from recycled bottles and cost 25p each.
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The move follows a successful trial in 100 Aldi stores across the Midlands earlier this year.
“Aldi is committed to reducing plastic waste, and evolving our approach to the sale and distribution of our bags is a critical part of that,” Aldi UK packaging director Chris McKenry said.
“We’ve already made good headway with removing and replacing avoidable plastics across our product range, but now it is time to step things up when it comes to bags and providing our customers with sustainable alternatives.”
Aldi said the move makes it one of the first supermarkets to commit to banning single-use produce bags completely.
Sainsbury’s has already introduced reusable drawstring produce bags as part of its own war on plastic, while Morrisons brought back traditional brown paper bags – which are recyclable – for loose fresh fruit and veg and also removed plastic wrapping from its cucumbers.
In July, Aldi announced its ambitious new commitment to halve the volume of plastic packaging used by 2025.
The commitment will see the retailer remove 74,000 tonnes of plastic packaging during the next five years.
The supermarket, 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.
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