Lidl GB has pledged to become carbon neutral by next year.

The budget supermarket aims to reduce CO2 emissions from its own operations (Scope 1 & 2), aligned to limit global warming to 1.5 degrees.

By 2030, Lidl internationally aims to reduce its operational emissions by 80 per cent (compared to 2019) across all countries it operates in.

To achieve its carbon neutral goals, the supermarket retailer said it would focus on cutting carbon emissions across its stores and distribution centres, including through installing solar panels on all new stores, where permissible, and its continued investment in refrigeration and lighting technologies to improve overall energy efficiency.

Supporting activities will include producing the UK’s first carbon neutral cheddar by the end of 2021 and banning sales of peat from 2022, two years ahead of the UK government deadline.

Lidl has also committed to operating 350 electric vehicle charging points at its stores by 2022, after it opened its 100th EV charging point earlier this year.

To tackle scope 3, which represents over 98 per cent of all emissions, Lidl will oblige suppliers, representing 75 per cent of product-related scope 3 emissions, to commit to their own climate protection targets according to the methodology of the Science Based Targets initiative by 2026.

This will be delivered through a comprehensive supplier engagement and learning programme across the Group, including supporting farmers on Lidl GB’s Grassroots programme to conduct carbon footprints on their businesses and develop carbon reduction plans.

“With the UK hosting COP26 in November, this is a crucial year in the fight against climate change and we recognise our responsibility to reduce our emissions to help tackle this important issue,” said Christian Härtnagel, chief executive at Lidl GB. “As part of the Schwarz Group, Lidl has a presence in 32 countries around the world and more than 310,000 employees globally.”

Härtnagel added:“We’re therefore one of Europe’s largest retail businesses and through these ambitious targets we hope to make a significant contribution by not only rapidly decarbonising our own operations but also supporting our suppliers to do the same.”

The chief exec said that as a discounter, the company is constantly looking to maximise efficiency and reduce waste.

“Whether it’s how we heat and light our stores, or how we transport food from our suppliers to our warehouses, we are continuing to find ways to cut emissions across our business,” he added.

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