Budget supermarket chain Aldi UK is conducting trials to remove pulp trays and punnets from its fruit and vegetable packaging lines.  

This initiative is part of Aldi's ongoing efforts to reduce its environmental impact and offer alternative packaging for its products.  

The trials include removing plastic punnets from the company's Nature’s Pick Cherry Tomatoes in select stores, a practice already implemented for its Nature’s Pick Sliced Mushrooms. 

The pilot is expected to expand on the retailer’s Baby Plum Tomatoes packaging. 

Furthermore, Aldi is eliminating pulp trays from its Nature’s Pick Mango and Avocado twin packs to cut packaging usage. 

These changes could result in the supermarket chain removing more than 370 tonnes (t) of plastic and packaging each year if the initiative is expanded to all UK-based stores.  

Aldi plastics and packaging director Luke Emery said: “At Aldi, we are constantly reviewing ways to reduce excess plastic and packaging, and these trials on a range of our fruit and vegetables are the next steps in helping us achieve our goals. 

“Becoming a more sustainable supermarket is important to not only us, but our customers too, and further reducing packaging is just one of many changes to come.” 

In June this year, Aldi began testing the removal of plastic packaging from bananas in selected stores across the Yorkshire, South West, South East, and Midlands regions.  

This move could potentially eliminate an additional estimated 234t of plastic packaging annually if implemented nationwide.  

In a separate venture, Aldi has launched 1.5-litre wine pouches, with the Specially Selected Sauvignon Blanc Colombard Pouch now available in stores. 

The retailer also introduced the Specially Selected Cotéaux De Beziers Rosé Pouch yesterday (1 August).