Lidl extends Prevented Ocean Plastic to water bottle packaging
Lidl is to become the first UK supermarket to incorporate Prevented Ocean Plastic into its water bottles.
Due to appear in-store throughout July, Lidl’s new one litre San Celestino Italian Sparkling Mineral Water bottles will contain a minimum of 30% Prevented Ocean Plastic.
With 12 million bottles of the everyday item sold annually, the initiative is expected to save almost 100 tonnes of plastic from entering oceans each year, which equates to almost four million plastic water bottles.
In 2020, Lidl became the first UK supermarket to introduce food packaging using the material and has subsequently rolled it out to its own-brand fresh fish, breaded poultry, sausage and fresh fruit products.
Shyam Unarket, 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.”
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. In a partnership with a Müller and Cornish Farm, the supermarket will be moving its entire milk range to clear caps over the next two months.
