ALDI Portugal: Working to reduce food waste and enabling healthier choices

ALDI Portugal: Working to reduce food waste and enabling healthier choices

The promotion of healthy eating and the reduction of food waste – just two priorities of ALDI Portugal. From the Algarve to the northern reaches of the country,

ALDI Portugal supports vulnerable people at many locations by means of  food and non-food donations. In 2021, ALDI Portugal joined the United Against Food Waste Movement. This multi-stakeholder platform unites those with a common vision to share best practices, unite, and raise public awareness about the importance of avoiding food waste. We also joined the Smart Waste Portugal Association and the Portuguese Plastics Pact to strengthen our commitment to sustainability packaging and promotion of the Circular Economy.

We are committed to healthy nutrition and we constantly expand and improve our product range to offer products for special nutritional needs and a healthy diet. This approach includes introduction of the Nutri-Score, a simplified nutrition labelling scheme that helps consumers quickly assess the overall nutritional composition of food products and effectively promotes a more balanced diet. In 2021, ALDI Portugal launched the implementation of the Nutri-Score in its own brands. Our commitment to a plant-based diet was rewarded in 2021 when we were voted 'Portugal’s most vegan-friendly discounter' by the Portuguese Vegetarian Association (Associação Vegetariana Portuguesa). Our partnership with the Portuguese Association for Combating Childhood Obesity (APCOI – Associação Portuguesa de Combate à Obesidade Infantil) empowered us to promote healthy eating among children. In 2021, we expanded the range of local products Made in Portugal and continued promoting a sustainable range of fish and seafood products. Fish and seafood are particularly important in Portugal since the country has Europe’s highest per-capita consumption.

Our highlights

More than

49 %

of sustainable certified fish & seafood

We systematically switch our product ranges to sustainable fish products. 49.5 per cent of all own-brand articles are certified, 68 per cent of them are MSC certified.

114

certified vegan & vegetarian products

114 products carried the V-Label or the vegan flower in 2021 at ALDI Portugal, marking vegetarian products and products that are guaranteed not to contain any ingredients originating from animals.

ALDI Portugal in profile

Regional companies
1
Stores
105
Total ALDI employees
2,422
Year of market entry
2006
Website
www.aldi.pt

Progress on national goals 2021

Customer & Product

Goal

Description and scope

Status 2021 & next steps

SDG

Introduce a circular economy project by end of 2021

Introduction of a circular economy project in cooperation with suppliers by end of 2021 to improve the circular economy and use of resources within our company.

Goal achieved.
In 2021, we introduced the ALDI Bread Beer Project. A beer made from surplus bread from our ALDI stores in Portugal.

SDG 14

Further development of our cooperation with APCOI (Associação Portuguesa de Combate à Obesidade Infantil) by end of 2021

Cooperate with APCOI to improve current product range and customer information by end of 2021.

Goal achieved.
In 2021, ALDI Portugal extended its cooperation with APCOI within the scope of the Heróis da Fruta® ('Fruit Heroes') project, a programme developed by APCOI focused on nutrition and the promotion of healthy lifestyle habits in nurseries and elementary schools in Portugal.

SDG 03

100% labelling of all national products with the logo 'SOU PORTUGUÊS' by end of 2021

100% labelling of all national own-brand products with the logo 'SOU PORTUGUÊS' (I am Portuguese) by end of 2021. Main scope: fruit and vegetables, dairy, fresh meat, and fish.

Goal (partially) achieved:

  • Fresh meat: 100%
  • Dairy: 73%
  • Fruit and vegetables (packed): 90%

The national products that were not labelled by end of 2021 will be labelled in 2022.

Increase proportion of unpacked articles in the fruit and vegetables sector to at least 50% by end of 2021

At least 50% of fruit and vegetables to be unpackaged in our stores by end of 2021. For products which require packaging we continue to use less plastic packaging and seek more sustainable and environmentally friendly packaging.

Goal achieved.
For products which still require packaging, we have replaced most of the plastic trays with cardboard trays (mostly FSC-certified cardboard).

SDG 12

Start implementation of a nutritional label in 2021

Started implementing Nutri-Score in 2021 for own brands of priority commodity groups (breakfast, dairy, chilled convenience, freezer and non-alcoholic beverages).

Goal achieved.
42 products were labelled with Nutri-Score in 2021.

SDG 02

No more black or coloured plastic trays for own-brand range fresh meat by end of 2021

Discontinue black and coloured plastic trays and change to transparent or white rPET plastic trays for own-brand range fresh meat by end of 2021.

Goal achieved.

SDG 12

Increase labelling of meat products with the ATC by 25% by end of 2021

Extend the ALDI Transparency Code (ATC) for own-brand products in Portugal that contain at least 5% meat by end of 2021.

Goal achieved.

100% of interlayers in cardboard for fruit and vegetables in bulk by end of 2nd quarter 2021

100% of all interlayers in crates for fruit and vegetables in bulk to be cardboard by end of 2nd quarter 2021, for brand and own-brand fruit and vegetables.

Goal achieved.

SDG 12
Supply Chain & Resources

Goal

Description and scope

Status 2021 & next steps

SDG

100% certified sustainable hake fish products by end of 2022

All packed own-brand hake fish products (frozen products) in Portugal should be MSC-certified by end of 2022.

Project ongoing.
We expect to achieve this goal by end of 2022.

SDG 12

New National Purchasing Policy for Fish and Seafood by end of 2021

Update the National Purchasing Policy for Fish and Seafood by end of 2021 to improve sustainability in our assortment of fish and seafood articles, in cooperation with suppliers and organisations.

Goal achieved.
In December 2021 we published our updated National Policy for Fish and Seafood, that summarises our commitment and measures to increase our sustainable fish and seafood product range.

SDG 12
Climate & Environment

Goal

Description and scope

Status 2021 & next steps

SDG

Install photovoltaic systems in new stores in 2021

Increase the ratio of ALDI stores equipped with photovoltaic systems by implementing these systems in all new stores in Portugal in 2021.

Goal achieved.
We have achieved 100% of the standalone stores that opened in 2021. We will enable all new, standalone stores, to do the installation, as soon as possible.

SDG 07

Bicycle parking spaces by end of 2021

Implement bicycle parking spaces with bicycle racks at all stores (except for spaces where restrictions may apply) in Portugal to promote eco-friendly transport by end of 2021.

Goal achieved.
The installation has been completed. Four to six bicycle racks are installed at each store.

Install photovoltaic panels on 40 older stores by 2025

Install photovoltaic panels on older stores to improve energy efficiency and to increase share of green energy in our stores.

New goal.

SDG 07
Employees & Community

Goal

Description and scope

Status 2021 & next steps

SDG

Training programmes for employees during 2021

Continue training programmes for employees on skills development (ALDI Academy) during 2021.

Goal achieved.
During 2021, we continued to develop various training programmes. As part of the ALDI Academy, we had several training programmes: Power to Lead (ALDI competences training), English training, as well as technical training for the sales team.

In 2022, we will continue to develop our training academy, e.g., starting in May 2022 with a new training programme (Power to BEAT), among others already planned.

SDG 04

Employee communication during 2021

Continue communication to engage and involve ALDI employees during 2021, e.g., with our employee newsletter and online presence.

Goal achieved.
In 2021, we continued to communicate actively with all employees, e.g., with a monthly HR newsletter, through the ALDI App, and with regular Townhalls. This work will continue in 2022.

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