The discount chain is renewing the packaging of PET bottled soft drinks

Plastic is part of our everyday lives, as it is durable, lightweight and can be used flexibly. At the same time, it burdens the environment throughout its entire life cycle, which is why its responsible use is important. In response, the Schwarz Group has developed its international, holistic plastics strategy, REset Plastic, adopted by all its companies, including Lidl Hungary. In line with this strategy, Lidl Hungary is renewing its own-brand soft drink packaging, as a result of which the Freeway soft drinks in PET bottles, sourced from Hungarian suppliers and available in a permanent supply, are now sold in PET bottles that are at least 75% recycled. As part of the transition, the company has also developed the packaging of other brands in addition to Freeway, so that a total of 38 products contain 75% or more recycled plastic in their bottles (excluding caps and labels).

“As a responsible and ethical company, we continuously strive for sustainable operations. We consider it a significant achievement that with this measure, in cooperation with our suppliers, we prevent the use of approximately 3,000 tons of non-recycled (virgin) plastic annually in the soft drink, mineral water and fruit drink categories, as we use recycled plastic instead. Moreover, since we also export our suppliers’ products to neighboring countries, this is a measure that affects the region,” said Judit Tőzsér, the company’s head of communications.

However, plastic is not only important in soft drinks. Plastic can also be found in the packaging of cooking oil, bottled wine, milk and dairy products, and toilet paper, or even in household items such as detergent and fabric softener bottles, so the company is also striving to increase the percentage of recycled material in these products wherever possible. In addition, the company periodically offers its own brand of household products made from recycled plastic in collaboration with PreZero, the environmental company of the Schwarz Group. In addition, from time to time, sportswear items are available in Lidl stores, the special feature of which is that recycled plastic waste collected from beaches and coastal regions is incorporated into their material. With the above measures, Lidl aims to reduce its use of plastic and implement the principle of a closed loop.