Discounter also announces move to 100 per cent LEAF Marque certification on British fresh produce
Lidl GB has pledged a £30 billion investment in the British food and farming industry, which it says will strengthen its commitment to backing British suppliers and supporting long-term sustainable growth across the sector.
The new investment reflects the value of sourcing contracts with British-based suppliers, Lidl explained, which will be made between 2025 and 2030.
The £30bn figure marks a 100 per cent uplift on the discounter’s original commitment to invest £15bn over five years, which it surpassed by an additional £6bn in 2024.
The investment will support a broad range of key British food categories from fruit and vegetables to meat and poultry, Lidl confirmed.
The move is backed by a series of sustainability initiatives, including committing to 100 per cent LEAF Marque certification across all British fresh fruit and vegetable suppliers. The LEAF logo will be rolled out on packaging of all British fresh produce from next year.
There will be continued funding for water catchment projects like the UK Food and Drink Pact Water (WRAP) Roadmap, supporting collective action to address water risks in key sourcing regions such as Medway, Southwest England, Norfolk and the rivers Wye and Usk.
The move is aimed at addressing issues such as water availability and quality, societal challenges and building climate resilience into food supply chains.
Lidl said its long-term sourcing model ”strengthens its commitment to British produce, providing suppliers with the stability and confidence needed to invest, innovate and scale sustainably”. It stressed the approach enables it to offer the highest-quality products at the lowest-possible prices while backing a resilient, ethical and sustainable British supply chain.
Richard Bourns, chief commercial officer at Lidl GB, said: “This investment is a clear, long-term commitment to British farmers and growers – a commitment that places British food and farming at the heart of our growth plans, ensuring we continue to offer our customers the quality British products they demand.
”By backing British, we aim to provide over 650 British suppliers the confidence and security to invest in their own businesses, laying the foundations for sustainable future growth.
“Our success is rooted in the brilliance of the suppliers we work with, and we’re extremely proud of the growth we’ve achieved together. As we enter our fourth decade in Great Britain, we remain focused on providing our customers with exceptional quality at market-leading prices, with these long-term partnerships underpinning our promise.”
Minister for food security and rural affairs Dame Angela Eagle added: “Lidl’s investment is a strong vote of confidence in the quality and reliability of British farming and we’re proud to support partnerships that recognise the excellence of all that our farmers produce.
“By backing British produce we’re not just supporting our rural communities and agricultural workforce; we’re investing in sustainable food systems that will benefit consumers and the environment for generations to come – aligning with our vision for a resilient food strategy as part of our Plan for Change.”
