In October of 2023, Sainsbury’s unveiled crownless pineapples in its stores. Officials touted the move as a way to “reduce our impact on the planet wherever we can.”
Less than a year later, discount retailer Aldi is doing its part by trialling pineapples without their leaves in select supermarkets – in the Midlands, Yorkshire and North East.
“This trial of crownless pineapples is just one of the latest innovative changes we’re testing out to minimise waste and reduce our carbon footprint,” Liz Fox, National Sustainability Director at Aldi. “We are committed to finding sustainable solutions that benefit both our customers and the environment.”
Pineapple crowns are almost always tossed into the bin by shoppers. That can lead to as much as 1,400 tonnes of food waste at one chain alone.
When those leaves are removed, the number of boxes that are being shipped are also reduced. Aldi says the potential reduction of cardboard could be 187 tonnes if its trial is successful.
But the good news doesn’t stop there. Pineapples crowns can be repurposed and planted to cultivate next year’s crop or converted into animal feed.
