Responsible Handling of Plastic at Lidl Serbia – New Environment-Friendly Decisions

In line with the motto of sustainable business “For a Better Tomorrow”, Lidl Serbia has made changes to its range of products, all to the end of having a responsible relationship with the nature. There are several new features: a multi-use bag for fruit and vegetables, the eschewing of single-use plastics and the reduction of the use of plastic packaging.

As a socially responsible company, in making business decisions, Lidl Serbia takes into consideration social and environmental factors. Lidl says that these are the first measures that the company will take to the end of reducing the use of plastics, directly related to two of the five strategic pillars of responsibility: range of products and environmental protection.

Multi-use bag for fruit and vegetables

By introducing this bag at the Lidl market, Lidl Serbia has become the first store chain in Serbia to offer an alternative to its consumers. A package of 2 bags can be bought for RSD 69.99. What makes them practical is that they can be washed in a washing machine at 30 degrees and that they can carry up to 5 kg, so one bag can be used several times.

Eschewing single-use plastics

Plastic cutlery and cups can no longer be found at Lidl's stores, whereas q-tips of the Cien and Lupilu brands are now made of paper, not plastic. This way, the company wants to stop using single-use plastics, which are considered a great polluter, and encourage the use of alternatives.

Smaller packaging – same quantity

The packaging of certain nut and dried fruit products of the Alesto brand has been reduced by around 20%, and the bag itself contains the same quantity of the product. This not only saves on the packaging material, but also reduces the emission of CO2, because now more packs can be transported on a single pallet. These products carry a clear mark informing about the reduced packaging.

Lidl Serbia is a part of Schwarz Gruppe and follows the “Reset Plastic” strategy for responsible handling of plastic, which is oriented to five goals: from avoiding the use of plastic, recycling and removing it from nature, to encouraging ecological innovations and education in this field.

With this strategy, the company has defined two goals when it comes to the plastic packaging of the Lidl brands that it needs to fulfill until 2025, namely: to reduce the use of plastic by 20% and to have 100% recyclable packaging.

– We believe that big companies have a big impact on sustainable development and that they should use their resources to educate the community and implement good practices. We have therefore decided to offer “green” alternatives to consumers.

These are only the first measures we will take when it comes to our range of products. As Schwarz Gruppe does globally, Lidl Serbia keeps setting new, higher goals, which can be found in our Statement of Intent on our website. Each statement pertains to a raw ingredient or a group of raw ingredients, such cocoa, tea, coffee or fish and lists detailed and clear tasks and goals, as well as deadlines. These are our guidelines regarding responsible procurement, and range of raw ingredients will expand.

What I'd like to point out is that I believe that we will motivate consumers to join forces in preserving the environment we live in – said Nikola Balaban, the procurement executive at Lidl Serbia.

“For a Better Tomorrow”

As an international store chain, Lidl Serbia also takes into account social and environmental factors, in addition to the economic ones. With its responsibility motto “For a Better Tomorrow”, Lidl Serbia is trying to build a strategy of socially responsible operations, which should have a positive impact on the whole environment. Lidl's socially responsible activities rest on 5 pillars: range of products, employees, environment, society and business partners.

Lidl Srbija KD Nova Pazova

Nikola Balaban

For a Better Tomorrow

corporate responsibility

multi use bag for fruit and vegetables

eschewing single use plastics

reducing plastic packaging