Aldi Australia has announced it will introduce paper straws across its entire range of beverage cartons in 2022.
It is the first Australian supermarket to announce such a plan and is expected to save 18 tonnes of single-use plastic from landfill annually.
Dan Warner, Buying Director for Drinks at Aldi Australia, said there will not be a change in the price of the poppers.
“Parents on a mission to reduce household waste and their environmental impact can now have peace of mind knowing the drink in their child’s lunchbox contains less plastic, and they aren’t sacrificing convenience or worrying about any impact to their back pockets.”
Customers in NSW can see the new look this month, with paper straws appearing on Westcliff Tropical Fruit Drink packs, before the nationwide rollout next year.
The change in packaging is supported by Aldi’s Australian-based supplier business partner, Tru Blu Beverages.
Peter Brooks, CEO Tru Blu Beverages, said they strive for environmentally sustainable manufacturing and packaging solutions.
“Much like us, Aldi has a focus on eradicating unnecessary plastics across the whole supply chain. Every piece of plastic removed from the environment, no matter how small, is a positive change and actions like this can have a big impact.”
Aldi have committed to reducing the amount of plastic used in packaging across its own-label range by 25 per cent by 2025, aim to send zero waste to landfill, and send zero food waste to landfill by 2023.
“Responsibility is one of ALDI’s core values, so when we say we are taking steps to contribute to a more sustainable future, we don’t cut corners to get there. We challenge ourselves to be bold in our commitments, and that means assessing every single component of the supply chain and finding all the ways we can make a positive change,” said Warner.
The announcement comes on the back of Aldi’s decision in 2020 to remove single-use plastic tableware from sale in stores, as well as replace plastic-stemmed cotton buds with a paper-stemmed version.
This article was first published by Convenience & Impulse Retailing.
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