By 2025, Germany’s Schwarz Group aims to reduce the plastics content by 30% in the own-brand packaging of its retail chains Lidl and Kaufland, compared with 2017 figures. 

The group headed by multi-billionaire Dieter Schwarz, which is considered the largest trading company in Europe, is with this new goal increasing the targets for its REset Plastic strategy by 10 percentage points.

In the 2022 financial year, Lidl and Kaufland cut the use of plastics 28% in a five-year comparison across all 32 countries in which they operate. The measures implemented include dispensing with outer packaging for fruit and vegetables and leaving the handles off 500 g yoghurt packs.

When contacted by Plasteurope.com, the group did not specify any absolute processing volumes.

Schwarz also plans to increase the use of recyclate in Lidl and Kaufland’s own-brand packaging, aiming for an average content of 25% by 2025. This figure currently stands at an average of 17% over all 32 national markets.

In Germany, the group’s home market, Lidl currently uses 27% recycled plastics and Kaufland uses 34%.