Lidl announces plans to reduce animal-based products in store
Grocery giant Lidl has announced plans to reduce its animal-based products in a company-wide push for sustainability.
Vegan alternatives are expected to slowly replace animal-based products on the German budget retailer’s shelves. This is in line with Lidl’s commitment to vastly increase its plant-based range through 2025 and beyond.
The motivation to make the switch towards alternative protein comes from an environmental standpoint. Specifically, Lidl identifies the need for food security for the increasing global population.
During Berlin’s Green Week, agri-food trade fair, Christoph Graf, chief buyer of Lidl, talked about the supermarket group’s future in the meatless industry. He reportedly said that there is ‘no alternative’ to reducing meat options in Lidl as there is ‘no second planet’.
Graf reportedly claimed this will allow people more access to cost-effective alternative proteins and should be treated as a positive decision.
Lidl’s own-brand plant-based range is called Vemendo and has increased to over 50 private label products since launching two years ago.
To support its decision to deprioritize animal products, Lidl plans to release a sustainability report later this year.
The analysis will focus on the key differences between animal and plant-based foods. From here, it will demonstrate how a switch to more vegan products can lessen environmental impact. This will then drive the development and release of more plant-based options, presumably under its Vemondo brand.
Stephanie Jaczniakowska-McGirr, its director of corporate engagement, said: “Lidl has taken a bold and necessary step to help consumers transition to a more plant-based diet. Animal agriculture is responsible for 20% of global greenhouse gas emissions and shifting to plant-based diets is an effective way to reduce those emissions.
“We urge other retailers to follow in the footsteps of Lidl and actively increase their plant-based offerings to support the growing number of people following flexitarian, vegetarian and vegan diets.”
