Lidl partners with revolutionary egg producer Kipster

Lidl GB has announced an exclusive UK partnership that will see it become the first Grocer in Great Britain to sell British eggs from the revolutionary egg company Kipster, which is said to produce “the most animal and environmentally friendly farms in the world."

Kipster’s industry leading and transformative farming concept will see British eggs produced by chickens which are kept in the highest welfare standards and which have a significantly reduced carbon footprint, with the remaining offset through the purchase of carbon credits.

Having first introduced its egg farming concept to Holland back in 2017, Kipster’s exclusive partnership with Lidl GB means British shoppers will be able to purchase eggs sourced from Kipster’s British “egg farm of the future” from Spring 2025, once planning permissions for the Shropshire farm has been granted.

The Kipster concept was developed in partnership with scientists and animal welfare organisations to meet the needs and instincts of chickens. The farms, which exceed typical free range standards, enable the animals to roam freely inside or out, with access to an indoor playground filled with daylight and fresh air. Through the installation of live 24/7 web cams the conditions chickens live in are available for all to see, any time, any place, demonstrating Kipster’s dedication to absolute transparency.

Peter de Roos, Chief Commercial Officer for Lidl GB, said: “When we first met with Kipster, we were instantly struck by their devotion and commitment to providing the highest welfare standards for chickens and roosters, whilst also doing right by the planet. 

"At Lidl we want to give our customers the very best products at the best possible prices, which is why we’re so excited to be the first grocer to bring Kipster’s eggs to our stores across Great Britain. We are strongly urging Telford and Wrekin Council in Shropshire to approve the plans to ensure British shoppers have access to this industry leading egg.”

Ruud Zanders, Founder of Kipster, commented: "We are delighted to be working with British farmers who are keen to take the next step towards more animal welfare and environmental sustainability. We are immensely grateful to Lidl for the trust they put in us to get Kipster off the ground in the UK. With their support we farmers can close the gap between what we're doing and what people want and need, which is more ethically and sustainably produced food."

Dr Tracey Jones, Global Director of Food Business at Compassion in World Farming said: “We fully support Kipster’s innovative barn system for laying hens as it addresses both animal welfare and sustainability concerns, plus providing a good working environment for the farmers, too.

"Compassion awarded Kipster a Good Egg Award and Best Marketing Award in 2018 for promoting their welfare and environmentally friendly eggs, and we believe the Kipster concept has real potential for replication and growth in the future.”

The company also has a clear commitment to tackling food waste. It takes a circular approach to what the chickens and roosters eat, with animals eating a newly developed feed made using the by-products from crop and food processing, such as faulty pasta products or unwanted food from bakeries. 

The resulting upcycled feed has a carbon footprint around 40% of conventional chicken feed, with the remaining GHG emissions offset through carbon credits. It also shuns the standard industry practice of culling newly born roosters given their inability to lay eggs, instead rearing them in their friendly farms to eventually be used for meat.

The Kipster “farm of the future” will be operated by Shropshire based Griffiths Family Farms, who currently have planning application in with Telford and Wrekin Council for the new site, which is set to be determined this month, November.   

The introduction of Kipster eggs in Lidl stores follows the discounter’s industry -leading move to introduce Welfare Windows on packaging to improve supply chain transparency for customers.

Lidl GB is now third largest supermarket in London

Lidl GB is now the third largest supermarket in London after overtaking Asda and hitting a market share high of 9.1%. 

As well as experiencing the fastest growth out of all supermarkets in the city, it was also named fastest-growing supermarket in the UK as a whole. 

With more than double the market share of any other discount supermarket in the capital city, Lidl’s growth forms part of its £500 million investment into London, while reaffirming its unwavering commitment to ensuring that all Londoners have a Lidl store within easy reach. 

Unlike other supermarkets that run convenience models in city centres, which could be costing London households hundreds more a year, Lidl is firmly committed to providing all its customers with access to good food at low prices, no matter where they live. 

In 2022, Lidl marked its expansion in London by opening nine new stores, including locations in East Acton, Kingston, and Upton Park, whilst also securing a further five sites in the city for future expansion, generating hundreds of new job opportunities in the process.

Early next year, it’s set to open another store in East Ham and it has started construction at its Newbury Park and Bellingham sites, further contributing to local employment. Those working at Lidl receive the highest pay in the supermarket sector, with hourly wages within the M25 starting at £12.85, rising to £13.15, along with a competitive benefits package including colleague discount.  

Ryan McDonnell, Lidl GB CEO, said: "We have a clear commitment to providing shoppers with the very best value, and becoming the third-largest supermarket in London reinforces our dedication to ensuring that everyone can eat affordable, high quality food, no matter where they live. We know convenience plays a huge factor when choosing where to shop in the city, which is why we’re pushing on with plans to bring many more locations to the capital in the future.”

Outlining its intentions to extend its great value offerings to even more households in the capital, the discounter has published a list of priority locations for new stores. Currently, Lidl boasts over 100 within London and the M25, with ambitious plans for more than 100, including areas such as Earls Court, Westminster, Kings Cross, and even Knightsbridge.

The discounter has also doubled down on its plans to strengthen its warehouse infrastructure to increase capacity across the country. Just last month, it opened its £300m Regional Distribution Centre in Luton to service over 150 stores in and around the capital, further cementing its commitment to London.

www.lidl.co.uk

Most trusted supermarket? That'd be Lidl!

Lidl GB has recently been named the UKs most trusted supermarket after placing ahead of its rival stores in the latest Retail Trust Index, which is the result of a consumer research undertaken by Ethical Commerce Alliance (ECA).

Ranking in second place overall, Lidl bucked the trend of low trust in supermarkets, highlighted in recent industry data which suggested overall trust in the sector has fallen. 

In the Index, Lidl is placed far ahead of its competitors, with Tesco the next nearest supermarket in 15th place, and fellow discounter Aldi further back in 21st place. Meanwhile premium supermarkets Waitrose and M&S are in 28th and 29th place respectively.  

Georgina Hall, Head of Communications & CSR at Lidl GB, said: “Households have had to contend with an incredibly volatile last several years, but throughout it all, we at Lidl GB have continued to show we’re genuinely on the side of shoppers and have done everything in our power to ensure they continue to have access to the best quality products at the lowest possible prices. We’re a business built on trust and transparency, and it’s humbling to see that this has been reflected in the results of the Retail Trust Index.”

During the period covered by the research, Lidl GB has played a critical role in providing households with access to high quality affordable produce. In its trading update last month, the discounter revealed that it had implemented the following investment and developments to support shoppers, suppliers and colleagues:

Invested over £100million in keeping prices low for customers

Opened around 50 new stores - more than any other supermarket in Great Britain

Spent £4bn and announced an accelerated investment in British food businesses for FY23

Increased pay rates twice in eight months, equating to a combined investment of £50m

Launched its Good to Give Trustmark – an industry-first initiative to diversify food donations

Built the largest Lidl distribution centre in the world, which opened just last month

Lidl’s ongoing commitment to keeping its prices low also resulted in the discounter being named cheapest supermarket in the UK by The Grocer last month.

This accolade also comes after the discounter was recently awarded most popular supermarket in the UK. In YouGov’s survey exploring the percentage of shoppers who have a positive opinion of a supermarket chain, Lidl nabbed the number one spot.

www.lidl.co.uk

Lidl host major supplier meeting of over 600 delegates

On Wednesday 27 September, Lidl GB welcomed over 600 attendees to its brand new 1.2 million square foot Regional Distribution Centre (RDC) in Luton as part of its first ever supplier event in Great Britain.   

Lidl GB CEO, Ryan McDonnell, launched the day by welcoming specially invited guests, followed by addresses from other Board Directors and senior colleagues including the Supply Chain Director, Logistics Director and Customer Director. Suppliers were provided with business updates, along with the opportunity to hear all about Lidl’s ambitious growth plans and the integral role of suppliers in reaching those goals.

While learning about initiatives, industry trends and innovation, the event also provided a unique networking platform for suppliers to connect face-to-face with Lidl colleagues and key contacts from across the business, including those from Buying, Procurement and CSR.

Held at Lidl’s largest RDC in the world, which officially opened earlier in the month, suppliers received a virtual tour of the warehouse, offering them a behind the scenes look into Lidl's operations.

The event follows confirmation earlier in the year that Lidl was accelerating spending plans announced at the end of 2019 and would invest £4 billion in British food businesses in 2023, cementing its support for suppliers across the whole country.

Said Martin Kottbauer, Chief Trading Officer at Lidl GB: “Last year Lidl we saw a record number of shoppers coming through our doors, attracting an additional 1.4 million customers. As households have continued to tighten their belts, we’re incredibly grateful to our business partners for the support they've provided us to ensure our customers have continued access to high quality products at the lowest possible prices.  

“We believe our business is only ever as good as our suppliers, and their products are paramount to achieving this. We have led the way with our commitments to longer-term contracts and, as we look to the future and continue on our growth trajectory, we’re committed to bolstering our partnerships further; providing suppliers with the security and certainty needed, as they continue on the journey with us. Our inaugural supplier event is a pivotal part of this, and we look forward to learning and growing together in the years to come.”  

Lidl, which prides itself on only stocking 100% fresh British milk, butter, eggs, cream, poultry, beef and pork, has long championed British food and farming and over-trades in British meat, poultry and eggs. Sourcing two-thirds of its core produce from the UK, Lidl GB works directly with in excess of 650 suppliers across the UK, giving them unrivalled access to local and international markets.

Richard Clothier, who is the MD of Wyke Farms Ltd, added: "We've been proud partners of Lidl GB since their inaugural store opened back in 1994, and next year marks a significant milestone of 30 years together. Over this journey, our collaboration has grown substantially, with the amount of cheese we supply on an annual basis increasing by a staggering 14,000 per cent, spanning 20 countries, including the United States.

“What sets Lidl GB apart for us is their family-like approach, marked by honesty and simplicity, aligning perfectly with our values. The supplier event has been enlightening, allowing us to engage further with key people within the business, witness the journey our products undertake, and gain insights into the future of our collaboration within Lidl’s wider vision.”

Last month, Lidl announced it was offering financial incentives for farmers to help boost British egg production. The unique investment will enable farmers to diversify their existing business and provide confidence and security to invest in the future.

www.lidl.co.uk

Lidl has officially been named both the cheapest AND most popular supermarket in the UK

Lidl is now officially the cheapest and most popular supermarket in the UK. Lidl topped YouGov’s list of most popular supermarkets and was also named cheapest supermarket in The Grocer’s ‘Super Grocer 33’ –beating the UK’s major supermarkets and fellow discounter, Aldi.

Lidl's unbeatable value has won shoppers’ hearts up and down the entire country. In YouGov’s survey exploring the percentage of shoppers with a positive opinion of a supermarket chain, Lidl nabbed the number one spot. Scoring 79%, placing it ahead of rivals Aldi and M&S.

Meanwhile, The Grocer’s ‘Super Grocer 33’ index, which compares the price of 33 everyday grocery items across the UK’s seven major supermarkets, learned that Lidl was significantly better value than others on a range of products, including fresh fruit and veg. From apples (£1.49 for a six-pack) to aubergines (85p), and cabbages (69p) to carrots (50p for 1kg), Lidl was the cheapest across 26 items in total.

Lidl was exclusively cheapest for its free range eggs (£1.09), with the price accolade coming mere hours after it announced a bold, new approach to boosting British egg production, by offering farmers special financial incentives to move into egg farming.

Even when compared to the traditional supermarkets with discount schemes, Lidl customers found themselves better off. Sainsbury’s shoppers using their Nectar card still paid £6.75 more than they would have if shopping at Lidl, while Tesco Clubcard holders paid £8.09 more.

Premium supermarket Waitrose, which claims it is implementing price cuts, was a massive £15.79 more expensive than Lidl. Rapeseed oil was almost double in price, while a whole chicken was nearly £2.00 more.

Peter De Roos, who is the Chief Commercial Officer at Lidl GB, said: “It’s no surprise when we’re continually shown to be the cheapest supermarket that we’re also topping popularity polls at the same time."

He went on to say: "Our customers, new and old, know shopping with us doesn’t mean they have to compromise on quality. Also, they can be assured we remain committed to keeping our prices low, which we know is more important than ever.” 

For nearly 30 years, Lidl’s unparalleled quality-value combination has been winning customers over from across the country. While the discounter has won The Grocer’s Super 33 five times out of seven, it’s also been named the cheapest supermarket by Manchester Evening News for over seven months in a row.

www.lidl.co.uk

Lidl releases new figures showing its commitment to investing in the future

Lidl GB has released new figures showing the full scale of investments made during its last financial year, as it held firmly to its promise of providing all its customers with the highest quality products at the lowest possible prices.

As more households sought to make savings during the period in question, Lidl attracted an extra 1.4 million shoppers and witnessed its market share increase from 6.1% to 7.1%, which was the most rapid growth experienced by Lidl over the past five years. 

Besides a relentless focus on prices, Lidl maintained its position as the UK’s highest-paying supermarket by investing £50m in increasing the minimum hourly rates for store colleagues twice during the period in question. Also it launched nearly 50 new stores in the UK, whilst securing multiple new sites for future expansion as it continued to publish its site requirements. 

The update comes as Lidl GB publishes its latest accounts for the year ending 28th February 2023.

Ryan McDonnell, Lidl GB CEO: “We've always had a very clear commitment to offer the best value to our customers and that's a strong promise we will always keep, even in uncertain economic times.

"Alongside preserving this price promise, rewarding our people and maintaining long-term relationships with our suppliers will always be a priority. As a privately-owned business we have the ability to make decisions we know will have very real and immediate benefits for our people, customers and suppliers and long-term benefits for our business, too.”

Lidl, which sources its entire core range of fresh meat, eggs, milk, butter and cream from only British suppliers, said it had spent over £4 billion with British companies last year, as it reaffirms its commitment to buy British wherever it possibly can.

McDonnell went on to say: “The entire retail market saw inflation, and, obviously, we were no exception. However, for us, what's of vital importance is our price gap to the traditional supermarkets is as strong as it's always been. 

"We’ve invested in keeping our prices low for customers in what has been a very challenging year for most people and, with many more customers flooding through our doors every day, our ambition is to ensure every single household in Britain has access to high quality, affordable food at their local Lidl store.”

During the new financial year, as it continues to invest in its future growth, Lidl GB hasthe :

Opened the largest Lidl warehouse globally, in Luton following an investment of £300m, leading to the creation of up to 1,500 jobs

Completed work on an extension to its Belvedere warehouse, whilst continuing construction on the expansion of its Bridgend RDC alongside submitting plans for a warehouse in Leeds

Further increased market share which is now approaching 8%

Announced an accelerated investment of over £4bn in British food businesses for FY23

Increased hourly pay rates for a third time in just 12 months, with store and warehouse colleagues earning a minimum of £11.40 outside London and £12.85 within the M25, bringing its combined investment over the year to £60 million

Recruited over 6,000 new colleagues since the beginning of the year

Been named as cheapest basket in the Super Grocer 33, four out of six times since its launch last year

Commenting on the outlook for Aldi, McDonnell finished by saying: “As a company, we’re entering an exciting new phase of growth where we are bolstering our infrastructure to sustain us for the long term and hiring thousands of new colleagues too. 

"Next year will mark 30 years of Lidl in Great Britain, and there's no ceiling on our ambitions for the next 30 years as we see the potential for hundreds of new stores across Great Britain. In many ways our brand has never been more relevant. We are, and will continue to be, a discount retailer maintaining a relentless focus on providing our customers with great quality at unbeatable prices.”

www.lidl.co.uk

(EDITOR: Those of us who are concerned about the environment will be interested to know that Lidl's delivery fleet of lorries is powered by food waste from Lidl.)

Lidl offers help to egg farmers and issues plea to other retailers to also offer help

Lidl GB is offering financial incentives for farmers and is also calling on other retailers to find ways to encourage them into the sector.

Following considerable pressure on the egg industry over the past year, Lidl GB is calling on other retailers to take bigger steps to encourage farmers back into the egg sector.

The update comes as Lidl GB confirms it’s taking a bold new approach to boosting British egg production, by offering farmers financial incentives to move into egg farming. 

Existing and new farmers are being offered an extra investment on top of market rates, supported by long term contracts as part of a guaranteed pay back deal. Through these contracts, farmers will then be given the security and confidence required to invest in and expand their existing businesses, helping to provide greater returns in the longer term.

Whilst other supermarkets in recent months have chosen to import eggs from oversees, Lidl GB has held firm on its commitment to source 100% British fresh shell eggs and has focused efforts on supporting the sector.

Said Martin Kottbauer, who is Chief Trading Officer at Lidl GB: “The last year's been particularly  difficult and challenging for the British egg industry, and it’s had an impact on everyone. The easy option would certainly have been for us to source from elsewhere, but we are firmly committed to the long-standing relationships we have with our British suppliers, and our commitment to sourcing 100% fresh shell British eggs.

“As an industry we must be doing more to ensure the long-term sustainability of the British egg sector, which is why we've taken steps to offer incentives and security for farmers to expand into egg production. 

"This approach, supported by long term contracts, is giving our suppliers much needed confidence to invest in their businesses and further secure their futures. We would urge other retailers to do the same.”

Not only is Lidl investing in new producers, the retailer is also supporting existing suppliers and is set to invest an additional £40m compared to last year.

Speaking about their partnership with Lidl, Robert Chapman, of Farmlay Eggs said: “Farmlay and its 25 contract producers are obviously very grateful to Lidl for its support during a very challenging time with Avian Influenza a constant threat. 

"The security Lidl has given us with long term contracts and a cost of production model ensures a good return, back to the primary producer. This security has enabled Farmlay to expand its own production base and also to encourage existing and new producers, like Bob and Kay Adam to invest. The Adam’s first birds were housed at the end of July and we know they’re incredibly excited ahead of their eggs going into Lidl stores. Lidl’s support for the whole British farming sector is second to none; just look at the amount of British and regional products displayed in their stores.”

Farmlay:

Following discussions with packer Farmlay Eggs, Bob and Kay Adam, who are renowned cattle breeders, recently started working with Lidl as part of a five-year contract linked to a cost of production model. This long-term partnership with Lidl gave them the confidence they needed to diversify their business and invest in a 32,000 bird Free Range egg laying henhouse. They will see their first eggs land in Lidl stores within the next two weeks.

Duncan Farms:

Lidl GB is also working closely with its suppliers to support more sustainable farming practices. At the beginning of September, Lidl will launch a new 6 pack of Free Range eggs that have a carbon footprint reduction of almost 60%. Working with its Scottish based egg supplier Duncan’s, the businesses have achieved a significant emissions reduction by removing soy from animal feed, replacing it with feed made of home-grown British beans, whilst significantly increasing biodiversity, amongst other developments. The RSPCA Assured eggs also promote hyper transparency, with the packs featuring a QR code enabling customer to get more information on the five steps of climate action.

Working with Lidl

Suppliers can find out more here - https://corporate.lidl.co.uk/supplier-information

www.lidl.co.uk

It's the largest in the world. Lidl's Luton-based RDC

Lidl GB has officially launched its new Luton-based £300m RDC, the world's largest Lidl warehouse, marking Lidl's continued commitment to expansion across the whole of Great Britain.

The 1.2 million square foot RDC, which is half a kilometre in length and could fit three of Lidl’s existing warehouses inside it, is located in Houghton Regis, Luton, and will be delivering over 9,400 pallets a day to 150 stores. This compares to its existing distribution centres, which service between approximately 60-80 stores.

It will be the first Lidl GB warehouse that features automation, helping the company to store more goods and increase capacity at the distribution centre, which in turn is helping to create more jobs. 

It’s also been designed with sustainability in mind. It features solar panels set to generate 2,000,000 kWH’s of electricity every year. In fact, at certain times throughout the year the warehouse will run fully on its own generated solar power. As an eco-bonus, all its delivery fleet vehicles are fuelled by biogas which is created from food waste, supporting Lidl's firm commitment to have 100% of its fleet diesel free within the next seven years.

This milestone development comes as Lidl doubles down on its commitment to further strengthen its infrastructure as it caters for growing numbers of customers up and down the UK. 

In 2022 Lidl opened over 50 new stores, that's more than any other supermarket in the UK. It also Great opened a further 19 stores at the beginning of this year.

The warehouse will create up to 1,500 jobs for the local community. Warehouse colleagues will benefit from working at the highest paying supermarket after hourly wages increased this month to £11.40 from £11.00, with the potential to rise to £12.30 with length of service. Benefits also include life assurance and optional health and dental insurance schemes, plus enhanced holiday entitlement, and 10% discount in stores.

The opening is being marked with a ribbon cutting and parade featuring local performers from Luton, allowing Lidl colleagues to celebrate along with local community stakeholders.

Richard Taylor, Chief Development Officer at Lidl GB, said: “The opening of this new RDC in Luton is a seminal moment for Lidl GB. Demand for Lidl has never been higher, and we are seeing an increasing number of people walk through our doors to make savings on every shop. 

"The fact Lidl's largest RDC in the world is here in Britain speaks for itself not only in terms of us needing to meet the growing demand from customers, but also in terms of our ambition to grow that demand in the future. 

"Its a spectacular state-of-the-art site that our team has worked incredibly hard on to get to where we are today. It has the capacity to service 150 stores, nearly triple the amount of some of our existing warehouses, demonstrating the true scale of our ambition and growth potential.”

Jennifer Davidson, Lidl’s Regional Director responsible for the new distribution centre added: “In my 26 years at Lidl I’ve had the chance to work on some really incredible projects, but none of which I'm prouder of than this. To see the culmination of all the work that went into it and knowing the boost it’s giving the local economy, including the 1,500 jobs, is truly something. We have an exceptional team here, and I’m excited about what the future has in store for us, and Lidl in general.”

Jeremy Hunt, Chancellor of the Exchequer, said: “It’s fantastic to see Lidl investing in the UK and creating thousands more well-paid jobs. As our plan to halve inflation this year and grow the economy bears fruit, businesses can be confident that investing in the UK is the right decision.”

The multi-million pound investment builds on momentum already made this year. In April, Lidl announced it was recruiting for 400 roles as it submitted a planning application at a 38-acre site in Gildersome, Leeds. This followed the recent opening of four RDCs including Motherwell, Peterborough, Doncaster and a second site in Belvedere.

(EDITOR: We know several people employed by Lidl and they speak very highly of the company, especially in one instance the health and dental insurance schemes which they were particularly impressed with. To learn more about careers with Lidl check them out here https://careers.lidl.co.uk)

Lidl predicts jump in ice cream sales, despite gloomy weather

Lidl GB has announced its opening hours for today,  August Bank Holiday Monday.

Despite a somewhat varied, mixed weather forecast, Lidl is still predicting a rise in sales of its ice creams and lollies, after it saw sales of its frozen range surge during recent a recent spell of wet weather.

Shoppers are guaranteed to bag a bank holiday Monday bargain after Lidl GB was crowned cheapest supermarket for seven months in a row by the Manchester Evening News newspaper, whilst being named the cheapest supermarket for BBQ essentials by Which? magazine.

Despite the mixed weather forecast, with temperatures set to drop again this bank holiday, Lidl GB is predicting a surge in ice cream sales, after seeing an 8.1% in sales of its frozen range during the recent rainy period.

The update comes as Lidl GB confirms its bank holiday opening times, while sharing the quietest times to shop as customers gear up for the bank holiday.

On the Bank Holiday Monday, today, stores across England and Wales will open between 8am and 8pm, whilst Scotish branches will remain open as normal. Some store opening times could vary, so customers are advised to check the store finder on Lidl’s website for details on their local Lidl branches.

Customers planning to stock up on frozen treats can get their hands on wide range of ice creams and lollies, including its Gelatelli Classic Ice Creams (£2.65) that recently received the Which? Best Buy accolade in June 2023. 

https://www.lidl.co.uk

You can find your nearest Lidl store, here:

https://www.lidl.co.uk/c/store-finder/s10023098

A Lidl bit of good news for tea lovers!

Lidl's revealed all its own-brand tea bags will become fully compostable, helping tea lovers across the whole  country make more sustainable shopping choices.

This means customers can enjoy their favourite cuppa knowing they'll be able to dispose of the tea bags in food or green waste bins. 

The transition to fully compostable tea bags is expected to divert up to 800 million per year from traditional waste bins, and subsequently, landfill.

The material - a special plant-based plastic, polylactic acid (PLA) - not only ensures the composability of the tea bags but also maintains the exceptional quality and flavour that Lidl customers expect. 

From its Deluxe Fairtrade Assam Tea (£1.09) to its Knightsbridge Gold Blend Tea (£1.19) or Knightsbridge Red Label Tea (£2.39) – the change will be made across all of Lidl GB’s own-brand tea range.

In line with its wider commitment to improving the recyclability of all its products, the move follows a recent announcement from Lidl to transition its milk range to clear tops. These combined efforts mean Lidl shoppers can savour every cup of tea knowing they’re helping cut the amount of single-use plastic that are destined for landfill.

Said Shyam Unarket, who is Head of Responsible Sourcing and Ethical Trade at Lidl GB “Those buying tea bags from Lidl are supporting our efforts to reduce single-use plastic going to landfill. We understand even a few relatively minor changes to our products can benefit our customers, whilst also helping us improve our impact on the planet, one cup at a time.”

Lidl’s new compostable tea bags will turn in store over the coming months, while existing stock gradually sells through. Today’s announcement comes as part of Lidl’s ongoing efforts to reduce its own-label plastic packaging by 40% by the end of 2025.

Other recent initiatives include becoming the first UK supermarket to incorporate Prevented Ocean Plastic™ into its water bottles and announcing plans to introduce new vacuum-packed, recyclable packaging across its beef mince range, resulting in a plastic reduction of almost two thirds (63%).

Grilling season is here, bang on time for Lidl being crowned Which? Cheapest BBQ basket!

Which? has revealed Lidl is the only retailer where shoppers can pick all their barbecue food essentials for under thirty quid, beating other stores such as Tesco and Waitrose, who came in at a whopping 30% more costly. 

Comprising a list of 13 products, the basket includes some of Lidl’s award-winning items, showcasing that savvy shoppers need never compromise on quality. 

This includes GHI Taste Test Approved own-brand Deluxe Brioche Burger Buns at just £1.10 for a pack of 4, and the Vemondo Vegan Sausages at £1.79, which won GHI’s Best Budget Vegan Sausages.

Peter de Roos, who is Lidl GB Chief Commercial Officer commented: “At Lidl, we’re officially fired up for the summer season, and after being crowned cheapest supermarket for BBQ essentials, our customers will be fired up, too. 

"This latest accolade fuels our passion for great food at best value prices, and it reinforces our unwavering commitment to delivering this time and again to our customers.”

Also, Lidl’s BBQ range has scooped a number of other accolades this summer. Burger fans will flip out over Lidl’s show-stopping Deluxe Aberdeen Beef Burgers, crowned the Best Budget Burger of 2023 by GHI. At just £2.99, these succulent burgers come to less than £1.50 per patty. 

The juicy patties are best topped with Valley Spire Blended Cheese Slices (£1.99) available in Hot & Spicy Cheddar and Black Pepper for a fiery kick - both of which have also been bestowed the GHI stamp of approval.

For a sausage fest, shoppers can pick up a double whammy of fantastic gold medallists: the Deluxe Pork Sausages, £2.49, winner of Which? Best Value title, the Deluxe Honey & Mustard Sausages, £2.49, winner of BBC Good Food taste test. Both pair perfectly with yet another GHI taste test approved bargain buy, Lidl’s Deluxe Hot Dog Buns, £1.10 – coming in at under 19p per bun. Plus, why not make a meal of it by topping with GHI’s Best Budget Mayonnaise, Batts’ Real Mayonnaise, at just 95p for 500ml. (EDITOR: I like Batts; Real Mayonnaise!) 

Shoppers can choose from Lidl’s full BBQ range, including its show-stopping award winners, in stores nationwide now, while stocks last.

lidl.co.uk

Lidl is extending Prevented Ocean Plastic™ to its water bottle packaging

From next month, July, Lidl's San Celestino Italian sparkling mineral water bottles will incorporate the ocean bound plastic.

The permanent change will prevent the equivalent of nearly 4 million plastic water bottles from entering the ocean annually.

Also Lidl's changing all milk caps from coloured to clear, further boosting their recyclability.

Lidl GB has announced it will be incorporating Prevented Ocean Plastic™ into its water bottle and is the first UK supermarket to make this change.

Appearing in store throughout July, Lidl’s 1 litre San Celestino Italian Sparkling Mineral Water bottles will contain a minimum of 30% Prevented Ocean Plastic™,  plastic which would otherwise have ended up in the ocean.

With 12 million bottles of the everyday item sold annually, this initiative is expected to save nearly 100 tonnes of plastic from entering our oceans annually, per year, equivalent to almost 4 million plastic water bottles.

The move builds on Aldi's previous efforts in being green. Lidl has been leading the way since 2020, when it became the first UK supermarket to introduce food packaging using Prevented Ocean Plastic™. 

Since then, it's been rolled out across a range of Lidl’s own-brand fresh fish, breaded poultry, sausage and fresh fruit products, meaning Aldi's already prevented the equivalent of in excess of 15 million plastic water bottles from entering the ocean.

Doubling down on their commitments, Lidl is also taking steps to improve the recyclability of its plastic. Last year, the discounter transitioned its semi-skimmed fresh milk with supplier Müller over to clear caps from coloured.

Over the next two months, in partnership with both Müller and Cornish Farm, it's transitioning its entire milk range to clear caps.

The rollout of colourless milk caps this year will support industry wide retention of 4000 tonnes of bottle top material to be used again within the food sector.

Shyam Unarket, who is the Head of Responsible Sourcing and Ethical Trade at Lidl GB, said:  “Ocean plastic pollution is a pressing environmental concern, it is expected that by 2050 there could be more plastic in the ocean than fish. 

"As pioneers of integrating ocean bound plastic into our packaging in 2020, we have been consistently building and improving on our efforts since, and are proud to now extend Prevented Ocean Plastic™ into water bottles. Through this latest product development, we hope to inspire wider efforts across the industry.”

Prevented Ocean Plastic™ packaging, supplied and developed in conjunction with Bantam Materials, is made from discarded water bottles found in Southeast Asia within 30 miles of a coastline or major waterway that feeds into the ocean. This waste is then sorted and processed before being used in packaging. The entire process is fully traceable with a robust documented chain of accountability.

https://www.aldi.co.uk

New greener packaging for Lidl beef mince

Lidl GB has revealed plans to introduce new vacuum-packed, recyclable packaging across its beef mince range, thus bringing about a very welcome plastics reduction of almost two thirds (63%). 

The smaller packs provide a valuable space saving, which will also result in up to 350 delivery trucks being taken off the road every year.

Customers across the UK will be guaranteed the same amount of high-quality 100% British beef mince, whilst collectively saving over 250 tonnes of plastic a year through the new packaging. With the new packaging providing around double the current shelf life, it’s also estimated it will half the amount of beef mince food waste in store.

Alongside the positive impact on the environment, the change, which will be introduced at the beginning of 2024, will also comes with significant additional benefits for shoppers, such as:

Double the shelf life, from eight to around 16 days, staying fresher for longer for customers to use

Easy peel film, so customers don’t have to touch the raw meat

Smaller footprint pack, thus taking up less storage space in the fridge or freezer

Shyam Unarket, Lidl GB’s Head of Responsible Sourcing & Ethical Trade, said: “Plastic reduction is a huge priority for us at Lidl, and this one change will cut the amount of plastic in each pack by a whopping two thirds, culminating in the elimination of over 250 tonnes of plastic from packaging a year. 

"But we also recognise the important role plastic plays in our daily lives. That’s why it’s vitally  important Lidl's plastic reduction strategy is centred around a progressive circular programme. By ensuring any new packaging is recyclable, we’ll also be able to help prevent plastic pollution in our environment. 

 “When the new packaging arrives in store early next year, we know the huge benefits both from a sustainability and practical perspective, will be welcomed by our customers.” 

This latest change forms part of Lidl GB’s commitment to tackling the important issue of plastic waste, as it looks to drive improvements across its product range through plastic reduction, recyclability and circularity.

Lidl Crowned king of discounters

Lidl has once again been named cheapest supermarket in The Grocer’s ‘Super Grocer 33’, beating all major supermarkets, including Aldi.

The price index, which compares the price of 33 everyday grocery items across all the UK’s seven major supermarkets, found Lidl to be £19.91 cheaper than Waitrose, the most expensive retailer. This win comes as Lidl’s fourth accolade, out of five surveys since the Grocer 33’s inception.

The survey also found Lidl came out cheapest even after other supermarkets’ discount schemes were taken into consideration. 

Overall, the discounter was found to be 10% (£6.17) cheaper than Tesco, and still £5.13 after Clubcard discounts were applied. Similarly, the same products at Sainsburys cost £6.80 more, with no benefit from the supermarket’s Nectar Prices.

The accolade also comes despite traditional supermarkets recently announcing an array of price drops, demonstrating that the Lidl still offers better value.

The Grocer compares prices of items on shopping lists across the nation as part of the monthly analysis – from fresh produce, such as milk and grapes, to deodorant, and branded items including Hovis Bread and Kellogg’s Corn Flakes. 

Lidl offered the cheapest price on 26 products – and exclusively the lowest price for five products across a range of categories, including:

Baby corn at £2.79 (76p cheaper than the most expensive and 4p cheaper than the next cheapest)

Kellogg’s Corn Flakes at £2.05 (25p cheaper than the most expensive and 20p cheaper than the next cheapest)

Domestos bleach at £1.39 (21p cheaper than the most expensive and 10p cheaper than the next cheapest retailer)

Prawns at £1.99 (£1.76 cheaper than the most expensive and 20p cheaper than the next cheapest)

Custard creams at 54p (26p cheaper than the most expensive and 1p cheaper than the next cheapest)

It’s not just the Super Grocer 33 basket proving this – for the past fourteen weeks Lidl has also been cheapest in a weekly price comparison conducted by the Manchester Evening News on essential groceries.

Ryan McDonnell, Chief Executive Officer at Lidl GB, said: “Every week, independent analysis shows we are consistently the UK’s cheapest supermarket. As a result, we are seeing more customers coming through our doors and switching their weekly shop to Lidl from the traditional supermarkets.

“We know people switch to us make savings, but then stay with us when they realise that they’re not having to compromise on quality.”

Lidl issues call to all other UK supermarkets to help make fruit and veg more attractive to youngsters

Lidl GB is calling on all other supermarkets to introduce packaging design changes to make fruit and veg appeal more to children.

It issued the friendly challenge after Lidl noticed sales increase by over a third on its specially designed Oaklands Funsize fruit range.

Lidl was the first supermarket to introduce fruit and veg packaging aimed at children, a move aimed at  helping parents and carers encourage kids to eat their five-a-day.

It's also pledged to remove all cartoon characters from packaging of all 'unhealthy' products by Spring next year. 

Lidl was the first British supermarket to introduce a range of healthy products specifically designed to encourage children to eat more greens. The collection comprises of fresh fruit and veg with quirky names and cartoon characters, such as Banana-Llamas and Tawny Tomatowl.

To further engage youngsters, competitions were staged to name and design cartoon characters. The result has been the introduction of numerous memorable characters, including Koala Pears, which led to nearly a quarter of a million additional units being sold the year after the competition ended.

Doubling down on its bid to help children eat healthier diets and aid parents in combating pester power, the discount store announced it will also remove cartoon characters on unhealthy products by Spring next year. 

Over 14 different product categories will be impacted, like sweets, chocolates and savoury snacks, with at least 30 products getting a fresh look, including the discounters Sweet Fruit Chews and Multicoloured Fizzy Belts.

The move follows Lidl’s landmark removal of cartoon characters from cereal packaging back in 2020. The changes mark a significant step in helping families across the UK make healthier choices, after research revealed over two thirds (68%) of parents found child friendly characters on unhealthy food and drink packaging made it more difficult to feed their children a healthy diet.

Peter de Roos, Chief Commercial Officer at Lidl GB said: “Our ambition is to make high quality, healthy food accessible to all, and the principal way we achieve this is through our best value prices.

"But we are also aware that there are other barriers in place, particularly concerning children, and parents tell us unhelpful packaging is one of them. This is something that’s so simple for us supermarkets to change, and our results show the positive impact that these small changes can make." 

He concluded by saying: "We hope other supermarkets follow in our footsteps so that, as a sector, we can be confident we’re doing all we can to support parents in helping to improve the diets of the next generation.”

The announcement follows the publication of Lidl GB’s new Healthy & Sustainable Diets Policy, which aims to ensure diets are healthier, more sustainable and easier to understand to aid customers decision making in-store.

https://www.lidl.co.uk