Lidl, one of Europe's largest grocery retailers, is committed to achieving Net Zero by 2050 across all business units and supply chains. This means that the company will reduce its greenhouse gas emissions as close to zero as possible by 2050. The goal of zero net emissions includes emissions in Scope 3 (Scope 3), i.e. up and down the Lidl value chain. More than 90% of the company's total emissions are generated here.
Joining efforts to reduce emissions
To move towards achieving net zero emissions, Lidl is expanding its climate strategy to include new specific targets in Scope 3: by 2034, the company aims to reduce its greenhouse gas emissions in agriculture, forestry and other types of land use with 42,4% (“FLAG emissions”). Lidl is also committed to reducing its emissions in the energy and industrial sector (“E+I emissions”) by 35% over the same period.
To achieve this goal, Lidl will work even more closely with its partners and suppliers in the future. The company has committed to its largest suppliers, which are responsible for 75% of Scope 3 product-related emissions, to achieve emission reduction targets by 2026 in accordance with the Science Based Targets Initiative (SBTi). SBTi is a global initiative that supports companies in setting science-based targets to reduce greenhouse gas emissions in line with the latest scientific climate data. Lidl supports and enables its suppliers to achieve these goals through appropriate measures.
Climate strategy milestones already achieved
To date, Lidl has already saved 52% of its operational CO2 emissions (Scope 1 and 2) globally. The use of renewable energy sources contributes to this to a large extent: from March 1, 2022, in all markets in which it operates, the company uses 100% green electricity - in all stores, logistics centers and office buildings.
In particular, other measures have been successfully implemented in Bulgaria, such as:
- To date, Lidl Bulgaria has installed photovoltaic systems at its two logistics warehouses - each with a capacity of 1000 kWp, and at 51 stores. Last year alone, the company's investments in the construction of photovoltaics exceeded BGN 7 million, and the planned funds for the 2024 financial year are almost the same.
- Lidl Bulgaria is actively working to increase its energy efficiency by modernizing equipment and implementing modern intelligent energy monitoring and management systems.
- All company-owned stores are certified to ISO 50001 "Energy Management Systems" and to the EDGE standard for green building, with the aim of building a clear and systematic approach to achieve continuous improvement in energy efficiency.
- Lidl Bulgaria is actively expanding its vegetable assortment, and in March permanently reduced the prices of vegan and vegetarian products under its own brand Vemondo. Thus, their price becomes identical to their conventional alternatives as part of the company's commitment to support conscious nutrition and climate protection
In addition to measures at the operational level, the company also launched a long-term socially responsible information campaign under the heading #FoodMeaning. Its goal is to provoke the necessary broad public conversation about conscious nutrition and how we can eat wholesomely and healthily with our Planet in mind - about the climate, biodiversity and resources.
"Lidl has already made significant progress in climate protection. We want to offer our customers products at affordable prices that are in line with our climate protection goals. Climate change is one of the greatest challenges of our time. With ambitious goals and decisive actions, we at Lidl take on this task and contribute to be part of the solution", says Milena Dragiiska, CEO of Lidl Bulgaria.
Science Based Targets: a commitment to science
Science-based climate targets, which the company has been implementing since 2020, are a central component of Lidl's climate strategy. Lidl has formulated its own climate strategy with additional climate targets as part of the climate strategy of the Schwarz Group companies. Lidl's climate goals contribute to the science-based goals of the Schwarz Group companies and are based on SBTi's scientific methods. The Schwarz Group joined the initiative back in August 2020 to help achieve the 1,5 degree target set out in the Paris Climate Agreement.
Lidl takes responsibility and contributes to the achievement of the goals set out in the Paris Agreement with its active climate action as part of its international CSR strategy.