Lidl Spain Transforms Plastic Waste Into Garbage Bags

The initiative involves transforming the company’s in-house plastic waste – specifically, transparent film used for pallet protection – into a new line of garbage bags under Lidl’s Purio private-label brand.

These bags, containing 20-50% recycled plastic and ranging in size from ten to 100 litres, are now available in six variants across Lidl’s more than 700 Spanish stores.

This project is part of Lidl’s broader REset Resources strategy, which aims to promote a comprehensive circular economy and reduce overall resource consumption.

So far, the initiative has recycled over 1,500 tonnes of plastic and plans to sell more than 16 million recycled bags by the end of 2026.

Recycling Process

The recycling process involves a six-phase value chain, ensuring traceability and quality. Plastic waste from warehouses and over 300 stores is collected and compacted.

The resulting bales are then transported by La Red by Veolia, a company specialising in the recycling of industrial and post-consumer plastics, to its recycling plant.

Veolia segregates, cleans and transforms the plastic into recycled pellets.

Recycling solutions and sustainable product provider Sphere España uses these pellets, combined with a small amount of virgin plastic, for quality, to manufacture the garbage bags.

The finished bags are then distributed to Lidl stores. Certification body AENOR, which specialises in sustainable and circular-economy projects, audits the entire process, to ensure compliance with circular-economy principles.

Moreover, Lidl also promotes innovative solutions, such as using fresh-fish and -meat trays made from 80% recycled plastic (rPET).