How ALDI Plans to Become America’s Most Sustainable Grocery Chain.

The ALDI SOUTH Group has announced its ambitious goal to achieve net-zero greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions across its entire value chain by 2050, positioning itself as one of the first international grocery retailers with validated net-zero targets from the Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi). This organization supports companies in addressing the climate crisis by establishing GHG emissions reduction targets aligned with global warming mitigation efforts. As one of America’s fastest-growing retailers, ALDI U.S. will play a crucial role in advancing these sustainability goals. ALDIPlans to Become America’s Most Sustainable Grocery Chain.

The SBTi has verified that ALDI SOUTH Group’s science-based emissions reduction targets meet the SBTi Corporate Net-Zero Standard and the SBTi Forest, Land, and Agriculture (FLAG) Guidance. These targets include:

• A 90% reduction in absolute scope 1 and 2 emissions by 2035, using 2021 as the baseline.
• A 90% reduction in absolute scope 3 emissions by 2050, based on a 2022 starting point.
• A 72% reduction in absolute scope 1 FLAG emissions by 2050, compared to 2021.
• A 72% reduction in absolute scope 3 FLAG emissions by 2050, starting from 2022.

ALDI is among the pioneering retailers to set explicit targets for reducing its FLAG emissions.

To drive immediate action, ALDI SOUTH Group is committed to a 52% reduction in scope 1 and 2 emissions by 2030, from the 2021 baseline, and a 25% reduction in scope 3 emissions by 2030, from 2022. Additionally, the company aims to reduce absolute scope 1 FLAG emissions by 30.3% and scope 3 FLAG emissions by 30.3% by 2030, both relative to their respective base years.

The retailer has also vowed to achieve no deforestation across its key commodities linked to deforestation, such as palm oil, cocoa, coffee, beef, and wood fiber products, by the end of 2025. These short-term goals have received validation from the SBTi.

“There’s a reason ALDI is one of the few grocery retailers with SBTi-validated net-zero targets. We operate differently, and sustainability is no exception,” stated Jason Hart, CEO of ALDI U.S. “With 90% of our store offerings being ALDI-exclusive brands, we can collaborate more closely with our suppliers on emissions reductions. These industry-leading science-based targets further demonstrate our commitment to operating sustainably and responsibly, allowing us to continue providing quality, affordable groceries.”

ALDI will concentrate on new partnerships and enhance its existing initiatives to tackle the largest sources of emissions, including:

• Purchased Products: Recognizing that most emissions come from its supply chain, ALDI plans to invest in decarbonizing by collaborating with suppliers, NGOs, and multistakeholder initiatives, particularly focusing on dairy and beef supply chains. For instance, ALDI is part of the Innovation Center for U.S. Dairy’s Dairy Sustainability Alliance and will explore the links between emissions reductions, nature, biodiversity, and animal welfare.
• Upstream Transportation and Distribution: The company is working with third-party logistics providers to discover opportunities for using alternative fuel sources and electric trucks to lower transport emissions.
• Refrigeration: ALDI aims to transition all its stores to natural refrigerants by 2035, currently using these in over 700 stores, which saves approximately 60% of potential carbon emissions annually.
• Electricity: The company is focused on reducing energy consumption and investing in energy efficiency across its stores and distribution centers, with all electricity sourced from renewable sources.

These initiatives align with ALDI’s ambition to become America’s Most Sustainable Grocery Chain.

ALDI U.S. serves millions of customers nationwide each month, operating over 2,300 stores across 38 states. The company ranks No. 28 on The PG 100, Progressive Grocer’s 2024 list of the top food and consumables retailers in North America. Additionally, PG recognized ALDI as its Retailer of the Year for 2023 and among the 10 Most Sustainable Grocers in 2024. ALDI Plans to Become America’s Most Sustainable Grocery Chain.