Environment: DUH: No progress in packaging waste in supermarkets

According to the German Environmental Aid (DUH), the packaging waste has hardly decreased in German supermarkets despite years of sustainability debates. For a current, non-representative examination, the environmental and consumer protection organization in 48 branches of twelve large supermarket and discounter chains tested how products are packed in various product groups- including the categories fruit and vegetables, drinks, milk and yoghurt products as well as freshness and self-service counters.

According to Duh, the testers visited four branches of each retail chain for the examination. With the help of a standardized bow, they caught the offer in the respective categories. The DUH emphasized that the results were particularly transferable for discounters through their “centralized range of assortment”. However, there could be certain regional deviations for chains with many independent branch managers.

Aldi Nord: Packaging makes products durable and transportable

Some retail chains reacted critically to the report. Aldi Nord described the depiction of the DUH as “one -sided” and accused the organization of hiding important factors such as the recyclability of packaging or protection against food loss. Packaging finally also fulfilled the function of making products durable and transportable. In addition, Aldi Nord criticized that in the DUH report, no comparison of the ecological cycle statements had been taken into account by disposable and reusable.

The examined organic supermarkets performed particularly well in the test: they mostly offered fruit and vegetables unpacked and set a lot on a multi-way with drinks. At the other end of the scale, the discounters, which in the test were largely based on disposable and pre -packed goods. In between, the classic full-time fines ranked: Although they offered more unpacked fruits and vegetables as well as reusable drinks than the discounters, they remained significantly below the level of the organic supermarkets.

DUH: No trend towards less packaging can be seen

The DUH criticizes that even in the fourth year in a row there is no clear trend towards fewer packaging or more to be recognizable. As early as previous years, the testers came to the conclusion that organic supermarkets are going to set in resource protection, while discounters largely set to one way.