Lidl will switch from paper pricing tags to electronic shelf labels (ESL) following a successful trial in over 35 stores.

The discount supermarket said the move will save around 206 tonnes of carbon through paper and packaging reductions.

The new technology also gets rid of the need for employees to manually check and update paper price tags, allowing them to focus on other duties.

ESL were trialled in September 2022, with the supermarket finding that over two thirds of shoppers questioned said they did not notice the change.

ESL will be introduced gradually into stores and Lidl expects the roll out to be completed by the end of the year.

“As a discounter, sustainability and efficiency run deep in our DNA - making changes to how we operate, no matter how big or small, allow us to enhance the overall experience for those shopping with us,” said Isaac Ekpenyong, director of sales organisation at Lidl GB. “In this particular case, we’re empowering colleagues by freeing up more of their time to dedicate to tasks that directly benefit our customers.

“But our transition to electronic shelf labels is more than that; it is another step we are taking to reduce our impact on the environment by curbing paper and ink consumption.”

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