ALDI has eliminated plastic shopping bags from all of its 2,300 U.S. stores.
The retailer announced meeting its end of 2023 goal last week, adding that the action will save nearly 4,400 tons of plastic from going into circulation each year.
“Eliminating plastic shopping bags from our stores and transitioning to environmentally friendly refrigerant systems not only help us protect the environment, but they also help reduce costs which we then pass on to our customers,” ALDI CEO Jason Hart said in a press release. “These decisions help our customers feel good about shopping at ALDI and our employees feel proud to work here.”
Hart described the grocer as one of America’s fastest-growing retailers.
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Plastic bags were previously available for customers to purchase at ALDI. Cloth bags remain available to purchase for customers who forgot their own reusable ones, USA Today reports.
Shoppers who wish to use shopping carts at ALDI need to use a quarter to unlock it, which they receive back once they return it to the front of the store.
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ALDI employees do not bag groceries for customers, but customers who find empty cardboard boxes around the store can use them, similar to Costco and Sam’s Club.
Along with the elimination of plastic bags in its stores, ALDI announced its goal to use natural refrigerants in all its U.S. stores by the end of 2035 to “keep its products fresh while supporting a healthier planet.” The goal would help ALDI save nearly 60% of potential carbon emissions each year.
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Last August, ALDI announced the purchase of 400 Winn-Dixie and Harveys Supermarket stores. Three-quarters of the stores involved in the acquisition are located in Florida, with the rest in Alabama, Georgia, Louisiana and Mississippi.
Fox Business’ Aislinn Murphy contributed to this report.