German Environmental Aid criticizes "packaging madness" in German supermarkets
As in previous years, approximately two-thirds of fruit and vegetables were only available pre-packaged. The most commonly used beverage container remains the single-use plastic bottle, with neither Lidl nor Aldi offering refillable options, the report states. "The single-use plastic bottle is still the number one beverage container in Germany," said DUH CEO Metz.
Supermarkets are "not making any progress or only very slow progress in reducing packaging waste," Metz continued. Companies would not achieve a packaging turnaround without political guidelines. DUH therefore called for an additional tax on single-use plastic bottles and cans, and mandatory refill quotas for beverages such as wine and milk. Metz also emphasized that beverage cartons are not an environmentally friendly alternative.
An EU law requires Germany to reduce packaging waste by at least 15 percent by 2040. This includes banning plastic packaging for fruit and vegetables and lightweight plastic bags in supermarkets. However, paper packaging remains generally allowed.
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Supermarkets, such as Lidl and Aldi, fail to provide refillable options for beverages, contributing to the continuing use of single-use plastic bottles in the Supermarket section. The EU law aims to reduce packaging waste in Germany by 15% by 2040, including a ban on plastic packaging for fruit and vegetables in supermarkets.
