Lidl becomes first Irish retailer to achieve gold standard waste management accreditation

Date published: March 9, 2025

Ireland’s Most Sustainable Retailer* strengthens credentials with Road to Zero Waste Certification, recognising organisations successfully on the path towards greater sustainability.

Lidl Ireland today announced it has become the first Irish retailer to be awarded gold standard ‘Road to Zero Waste’ certification – a new standard for sustainable businesses who demonstrate exemplary action in waste management, including minimising non-recyclable waste, returning recyclable materials and optimising waste management systems for environmental benefit.

Named Most Sustainable Retailer in the Ireland RepTrak® Sustainability Index 2024, Lidl continues to lead the retail industry in sustainability through being first to market with a wide range of sustainable initiatives as part of its overarching commitment to reach Net Zero by 2050.

From sustainable construction of its retail outlets with the most advanced sustainability features built in, to being the first retailer to trial Deposit Return Scheme vending machines years ahead of its national roll out or being the first retailer to introduce customer recycling stations at the till point, Lidl continues to demonstrate innovative solutions for the benefit of customers, communities and the environment.

With a significant footprint across the island of Ireland, including a growing network of 230 stores and four Regional Distribution Centres, sustainable waste management is an ongoing focus for the retailer.

Tim Ulbrich, Chief Operations Officer at Lidl Ireland & Northern Ireland said:

“Sustainability is at the heart of everything we do at Lidl Ireland and Lidl Northern Ireland, and we are delighted to be the first Irish retailer recognised with gold standard Road to Zero Waste accreditation.

Waste and its impact on the environment are some of the most urgent problems facing our planet and we need to shift our thinking and approach to managing waste.

As a significant retailer processing large volumes of material every day, we are acutely aware of the need for optimised waste management systems to ensure that we are consciously contributing to the circular economy and responsibly managing waste materials. Through innovation and action, we’ve developed a robust Zero Waste strategy which now sees waste prevention, waste reduction, recycling and Anaerobic Digestion operate at over a 95% level within the company.

The Road to Zero Waste accreditation is a continuous process that requires ongoing commitment and innovation. Our goal is to drive the development of a functioning circular economy in Ireland as a whole and we are proud to play our part in leading the retail sector to continue on its journey towards zero waste through this new accreditation.

The future of waste management lies in our hands, and our combined efforts will enable us to create a more sustainable world.”

Hugh McAfee, Senior Logistics Project Manager at Lidl Ireland & Northern Ireland said:

“Our journey on the Road to Zero Waste accreditation has involved every single person in the company. It’s so important that every employee at Lidl Ireland and Lidl Northern Ireland understands how we handle and process our waste and leads by example in changing behaviour to support our goals.

As a market leader in sustainability, it’s been incredible to see how much work and passion for recycling that Lidl employees have. From our stores to our warehouses and offices, our entire workforce has got behind the initiative and people at every level are actively contributing to efficient waste management. Every action, no matter how small, continues to help us uphold our gold standard accreditation and takes us one step further in our journey towards zero waste.”

As part of its overarching sustainability strategy, Lidl Ireland and Lidl Northern Ireland have a firm commitment to its responsibility with regards to protecting the planet and nature for future generations.

On its Road to Zero Waste, Lidl has developed and implemented a range of recycling and waste reduction initiatives over the last decade:

Food Waste

Since 2017, Lidl Ireland’s partnership with FoodCloud has seen the equivalent of 6 million meals distributed to over 700 charities across the island of Ireland.
In 2019, Lidl Ireland was the first supermarket retailer to introduce Waste Not Fruit & Veg boxes containing at least 5kg of mixed fruit and vegetables (which have come from multi packs where other produce has become slightly damaged, discoloured or deteriorated, but are still perfectly good to eat) priced at just €3 with a retail value of €6 to €8. The regionwide rollout saves 950,000kg of food waste per year.

Plastic & Packaging

Lidl Ireland was the first retailer to offer customer in-store recycling stations at till points to combat waste in 2019 and was the first supermarket to remove all single use plastic from stores such as plastic drinking straws, disposable cups, glasses, plates, and cutlery.
Lidl Ireland’s efforts with regards to sustainable packaging have also been recognised by the industry at the 2025 Repak Pakman Awards where Lidl was awarded Excellence in Waste Management and Recycling Business Champion, ESG Leader, and the Plastic Pledge award for the fourth year in a row.

DRS

In September 2024, Lidl Ireland became the first retailer to hit 100 million DRS returns, processing almost a fifth of Ireland’s total DRS bottle and can recycling. As the first retailer to launch a DRS trial back in 2021, Lidl Ireland collected 2 million bottles and cans and voluntarily paid out more than €200,000 in money-back vouchers to customers which were redeemable in all Lidl Ireland stores.
As part of the trial, Lidl Ireland also collaborated with its suppliers to utilise the recycled PET bottle material in the packaging of its products. Working with key supplier Silver Hill, up to 30% of the total tray weight of the retailer’s own brand Silver Hill duck product was made from bottles collected from the retailer’s DRS machines. This enabled Lidl’s customers to buy back the material collected through the trial period at Lidl’s Glenageary and Claremorris stores, extending the impact of the Irish circular economy.

Supplier Engagement

Lidl Ireland works with a range of suppliers to further optimise sustainability throughout Lidl stores across the island of Ireland. For example, with local Irish supplier Keohane’s Seafood, Lidl was the first retailer in Ireland to incorporate Preventable Ocean Plastic (POP) on its fish packaging which has prevented the equivalent of 750,000 plastic bottles entering the ocean annually.

Sustainable Construction

Earlier this year, Lidl Ireland announced the investment of more than €10 million in the construction of Ireland’s first Net Zero Energy supermarket, situated in Maynooth Co. Kildare. This first-of-its-kind Lidl store is set to make history as it aims to become the first BREEAM-accredited Net Zero Energy supermarket in Ireland, targeting an Outstanding rating, as recognised by the Irish Green Building Council.

Construction of the new store is underway, with waste management prioritised throughout the build, incorporating concrete made from 50% recycled materials, sustainable glulam timber roof beams and lower embodied carbon roof panels. Additionally, stone from Lidl’s original Maynooth store has been 100% recycled onsite to further reduce emissions and will be reused as part of the build. The transformational new store is scheduled to open to Lidl customers in November 2025.

The newly awarded Road to Zero Waste accreditation demonstrates how Lidl Ireland and Lidl Northern Ireland has considered the ecological, economic and social impact of waste management and resource management in a holistic manner to achieve the gold standard of ensuring a Zero Waste strategy. This ensures that the retailer is fully optimised and operates to the highest standard of recycling.

For further information, the latest instore offers and career opportunities please visit www.lidl.ie

For further information on the Road to Zero Waste accreditation, please visit https://road-to-zero-waste.com/en/