ALDI Australia has entered into a strategic partnership with plastic recycler and sustainable packaging manufacturer, Pact Group. This will provide the retailer’s supplier partners with “improved access” to recycled packaging for ALDI’s exclusive brand products. 
Supporting ALDI’s transition to more sustainable packaging options, the partnership is expected to drive progress towards the grocery retailer’s ambition to achieve at least a 50% inclusion of recycled material in packaging by 2025. ALDI says it has already made “significant headway” towards this goal with more than 2000 tonnes of post-consumer recycled plastic incorporated in its packaging in 2022.
The partnership provides opportunities to improve the rigid plastic packaging used in ALDI’s exclusive brands, such as milk bottles, meat trays, fruit and vegetable punnets, beverage bottles and health, beauty, and cleaning products. Beverage bottles have been identified as a key priority, with an immediate goal to include a minimum of 25% recycled plastic content across ALDI’s range. Once achieved, this is expected to remove around 1500 tonnes of virgin plastic from ALDI’s exclusive brand beverage products.
ALDI Australia Managing Director Buying Oliver Bongardt says ALDI understands the important role it plays in reducing its use of plastic and improving the circularity of its product packaging.
“As part of our commitment to Making a Good Difference, we are aiming to reduce plastic in packaging by 25% and to include a minimum of 50% recycled materials in our packaging by 2025,” he says.
“We’re confident working with an industry leader in circular packaging like Pact Group, will tip the scale and push us closer towards meeting our commitments.”
Pact Chief Executive Officer Sanjay Dayal adds: “Our partnership with ALDI demonstrates Pact’s recycling and manufacturing capabilities will deliver results for businesses that are demanding more sustainable packaging.
“Recycled plastic packaging that is designed and manufactured effectively, recycled properly, and disposed of correctly is the key to building a successful circular economy, and we’re delighted to be working with ALDI in this way.”
Pact will also work with ALDI’s supplier partners to re-design existing packaging in “smarter more efficient ways”, further reducing plastic and ensuring all materials used in packaging can be fully recycled.