solar panels

Aldi is aiming to become carbon neutral by next year following an investment in a long-term carbon management programme.

The company is targeting solar power, emissions efficiencies and carbon offset purchases to reduce their carbon footprint to zero.

It will team up with ClimatePartner to purchase the offsets as well as support a range of environmental and carbon reduction projects such as forest protection in Peru, installing clean cookstoves in Ghana and purifying water in India.

The discounter has already switched to 100 per cent green energy provider contracts as the business managed to cut greenhouse gas emissions per square metreof sales floor by 53 per cent since 2012.

It has also invested £20 million into environmentally friendly refrigeration systems, which will be installed across all new stores, as well as installing 388 solar panels.

Fritz Walleczek, managing director of corporate responsibility, said: “Becoming carbon neutral is a key part of our Corporate Responsibility commitments.

“We are continually reviewing our operations to reduce emissions and be kinder to the environment, while also future-proofing our growing store portfolio for many years to come.”