Aldi has become the first US retailer to remove plastic shopping bags in a move that is expected to remove plastic shopping bags is expected to eliminate 4,400 tons of plastic out of circulation annually
Aldi store in California, US. (Credit: DoulosBen from Wikimedia Commons)
Supermarket chain Aldi has met its goal, announced in 2022, to remove all plastic shopping bags by the end of 2023 across over 2,300 stores in the US.
The discount grocer has become the first major US retailer to remove plastic shopping bags.
The move to remove plastic shopping bags is expected to eliminate 4,400 tons of plastic out of circulation annually.
In the second announcement, Aldi has also announced a new goal to transition to natural refrigerants across all US stores before the end of 2035.
The supermarket chain said that natural refrigerants will keep its products fresh due to its expanding portfolio while supporting a healthier planet.
Aldi has also started using natural refrigerants in over 600 of its stores. The new move is expected to avoid about 60% of potential carbon emissions per year.
Aldi CEO Jason Hart said: “As one of America’s fastest-growing retailers, we take our responsibility to lead the industry in sustainability seriously, so our customers don’t have to choose between shopping responsibly and saving money.
“Eliminating plastic shopping bags from our stores and transitioning to environmentally friendly refrigerant systems not only help us protect the environment, but they also help reduce costs which we then pass on to our customers.
“These decisions help our customers feel good about shopping at ALDI and our employees feel proud to work here.”
Aldi, which is expanding quickly around the US, will implement a purchasing strategy that considers the ideal refrigerant solution for the unique environment of each region.
This will include both carbon dioxide and propane, two ultra-low Global Warming Potential (GWP) refrigerants.
Starting this year, the supermarket chain will replace the current refrigerants in existing stores with refrigerants that have minimal global warming potential and buy environmentally friendly refrigerants for all new and refurbished locations.