Lidl becomes the first retailer in Ireland to launch Prevented Ocean Plastic (POP) packaging

Lidl becomes the first retailer in Ireland to launch Prevented Ocean Plastic (POP) packaging

• New packaging will be rolled out across five fresh fish products in collaboration with award-winning Lidl supplier, Keohane Seafoods
• The initiative will prevent almost 19 tonnes of plastic from entering the ocean per year – the equivalent of almost 750,000 plastic water bottles
• Additional Packaging optimisations resulting in reductions of 28 tonnes of plastic annually from Lidl’s supply chain
• Lidl first to market of GNN label for certified responsible farming of Salmon

 

Lidl has become the first retailer in Ireland to announce the launch of Prevented Ocean Plastic (POP) fresh food packaging using “ocean bound plastic”*, plastic that would have otherwise ended up in the ocean and that is now recycled and reintroduced into our packaging. Working in collaboration with its Irish supplier, Keohane Seafoods, Lidl has moved five fresh fish products into this innovative new packaging with products including:  Salmon Darnes (2 pack and 4 pack), Skinless Salmon Darnes, King Prawns and Cod Fillets. Customers can see this new packaging in store now with a full rollout expected to be completed by the end of July.

This innovative packaging initiative forms part of Lidl’s overall commitment to ensure 50% of packaging is made from recycled materials by 2025.

Announcing the launch of the initiative Cáit Lynch, Responsible Sourcing Manager, Lidl Ireland commented: “As a responsible retailer, we want to assure our customers that by shopping with us they are selecting responsibly sourced products while also helping to protect our oceans. From removing plastic pollution to protecting fish stocks, we're committed to making a difference. We’re proud to be the first retailer in Ireland to introduce ocean bound plastic into the retail market, taking the lead in offering consumers more sustainable choices and helping to tackle the problem directly as part of our commitment to ensure 50% of packaging is made from recycled materials by 2025.”

Between 80 and 90% of the plastic packaging that reaches the ocean, enters from coastlines in developing regions such as Southeast Asia and this initiative will prevent almost 19 tonnes of plastic from entering the ocean per year – the equivalent of almost 750,000 plastic water bottles. As well as having clear environmental benefits, the use of POP also has societal benefits. The collection of these bottles equates to approximately a years’ worth (374 days) of well-paid work for an average bottle collector in predominantly poor coastal regions across Southeast Asia. 

 

GGN Label

In another first, Lidl is set to become the first retailer in Ireland to carry products with the GGN label. The consumer label will feature on seven Keohane Seafoods fresh salmon lines.

The GGN label stands for certified, responsible farming and transparency, and offers consumers consistent and relevant assurance about the responsible farming of these products. All products bearing the label come from farms with production processes that are independently certified according to the strict criteria of GLOBALG.A.P. standards. This confirms that they were produced in line with responsible farming practices that cover food safety, environmental sustainability, animal welfare, traceability, and workers’ well-being.

Accompanying the logo on product packaging is a unique 13-digit identification number that can be entered into the GGN label portal to trace the origins of the product. Speaking on the addition of the GGN label to the product range.

Anna Ferguson, Senior Buyer, Lidl Ireland added: “The addition of the GGN label onto these fresh fish products for the first time in Ireland is also an important step in offering enhanced product transparency to our customers.”  

Since beginning its partnership with Lidl over 11 years ago, Keohane Seafoods has become one of Ireland’s largest quality seafood processors and now employs a workforce of more than 220 employees. Keohane’s who signed a €20 million deal with Lidl earlier this year have been involved in Lidl’s Supplier Engagement Programme and were awarded Lidl Packaging Reduction Supplier of the Year in 2021 for their efforts in reducing the plastic packaging of Lidl’s own brand products. An Investment into new packaging machinery in 2021 made it possible to reduce the size of 11 of Lidl’s own brand fresh fish trays. The weight of the trays has been reduced by 21%. Equating to a removal of 28 tonnes of plastic from Lidl’s supply chain annually. This is the weight equivalent of seventeen cars (the weight of a car is about 1.7 tonnes.) 

The packaging reduction, ocean bound plastic packaging solution and GNN certification have been developed as part of Lidl’s Supplier Engagement Programme which is now in its second year. This programme is a 5-year long term collaboration plan. Keohane Seafoods also supply three salmon items with this new POP packaging to two Lidl Great Britain regional distribution centres.

Speaking on the importance of this innovative collaboration, Colman Keohane, Managing Director of Keohane Seafoods added: "All our seafood is sourced from responsibly managed fisheries and farms. And with the support from the team at Lidl through our involvement in the Lidl Supplier Engagement Programme,  we have been actively innovating to reduce the environmental impact of the range from reducing pack sizes to now launching ocean bound plastic packaging. We’re so proud to play our part in providing Irish consumers with responsibly sourced fish in innovative packaging that includes recycled ocean bound plastic – a first in the Irish retail market and look forward to commencing future collaboration with Lidl to further reduce environmental impact of the range.”

 

-ENDS-

 

Note to Editor

*Ocean bound plastic is plastic found within 50km (30 miles) of an ocean coastline or major waterway that feeds into the ocean. This is specific to countries and regions that lack waste management infrastructure, often those places that have been overwhelmed by population growth or tourism. There is also a significant risk to wildlife if plastic contaminates their ecosystem.