Aldi removes plastic bags, transitioning to natural refrigerants

In what is calls a “landmark moment for the industry,” Batavia, Ill.-based Aldi says it removed plastic shopping bags from its more than 2,300 stores by the end of 2023. Remove plastic shopping bags will prevent nearly 4,400 tons — or close to 9 million pounds of plastic — from going into circulation each year, according to a news release.

“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,” Aldi CEO Jason Hart said in the release. “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.”

Aldi says it also unveiled a new industry-leading goal to transition to natural refrigerants across all U.S. stores before the end of 2035. This goal builds on the grocer’s use of environmentally friendly refrigerants in more than 600 stores, helping Aldi save nearly 60% of potential carbon emissions each year, according to the release.

Beginning this year, Aldi will purchase environmentally friendly refrigerants for all new and remodeled stores and replace the current refrigerants in existing stores with refrigerants that have low global warming potential, the release said.

Previous sustainability goals announced by Aldi include:

• Using 20% post-consumer recycling in plastic packaging by 2025.
• Reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 26% by 2025.
• Reducing food waste by 50% by 2030.

In 2023, Aldi received the EPA’s GreenChill Store Certification Excellence recognition for its environmentally friendly refrigeration practices, achieving the most certifications at the platinum level of all participating U.S. grocery retailers, according to the release. The EPA also awarded 109 Aldi stores in 17 states with GreenChill Store Re-Certification Excellence, recognizing these locations for five consecutive years of platinum-level certifications. Through this program, GreenChill food retailers like Aldi maintain emissions rates that are approximately half the industry average, resulting in a significant benefit to the environment, the release said.

“Aldi continually shows its commitment to the environment by minimizing refrigerant emissions at stores, including the 109 stores that have been recertified in 2023 for the fifth year in a row at the platinum level,” Cindy Newberg, stratospheric protection division director at the EPA, said in the release. “Aldi is leading the way with over 600 GreenChill certified stores, a GreenChill record!”

Related link: Aldi's annual sustainability progress report.