Aldi lifts packaging on 4 fruits and vegetables, lets them go loose in supermarkets

Aldi is removing plastic packaging on four fruits and vegetables in an effort to reduce waste.

Limes, garlic, lemons and oranges will be presented loosely in supermarkets – the first two only in stores in the North East, Cumbria, Yorkshire, South East, and London – while all of them will be featured openly in East of England, East Midlands and London.

“We are committed to removing plastic packaging wherever possible and we are constantly reviewing ways to make a real difference,” Luke Emery, Plastics and Packaging Director at Aldi, said. “By trialling these packaging-free produce lines, we hope to help customers cut back on unnecessary plastic when shopping.”

With a smaller footprint than most supermarkets and high traffic, it is a big more challenging for Aldi to showcase fruits without that extra layer of packaging. However, Aldi does currently manage it with avocados, potatoes and peppers. It is unclear whether Aldi will make the move permanent, though it could see a reduction of 94 tonnes of plastic if it does.

Aldi has made a splash in recent weeks by breaking several different news stories around produce, in particular its deftness in undercutting competitors with low, low pricing. Last week, it announced a reduction on 10 more fruits and vegetables to help save inflation-challenged shoppers.

That also has helped Aldi remain the cheapest supermarket in the UK for an average shop for the 15^th consecutive month, according to consumer agency Which? Aldi not only beat out discount rival Lidl to be £1.32 less expensive but is ore than £8 cheaper than Tesco and £14 less than Waitrose and Ocado.

“As summer draws to a close and families begin preparing to go back to school or university, August and September can represent financially challenging months for many,” Julie Ashfield, Managing Director of Buying at Aldi, said. “However, families can rest assured that they can rely on us for great quality products at the lowest possible prices, and that we’ll continue to support our customers in these testing times.”