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The everyday items ALDI is set to ban from its shelves

A major change is coming to ALDI supermarkets that will see some everyday products stripped from shelves.

ALDI has announced a plan to cut a quarter of all plastic packaging from its range by 2025.

The supermarket giant will also remove problematic single-use plastics such as straws, plastic disposable tableware and plastic stemmed cotton buds from stores by 2020.

Plastic packaging will be reduced on its fresh produce range and packaging of ALDI’s exclusive brands will be 100 per cent recyclable, reusable or compostable by the end of 2025.

Aldi has made a commitment to reduce plastic packaging in stores. Source: Getty
Aldi has made a commitment to reduce plastic packaging in stores. Source: Getty

“The above commitments will reduce ALDI’s reliance on plastic packaging, consequently leading to the reduction of waste going to landfill,” the supermarket said in a statement.

Australian Packaging Covenant chief executive Brooke Donnelly applauded the bold move.

“[The announcement] demonstrates that sustainable packaging isn’t just good for the environment; it also makes good business sense and can drive a range of positive commercial benefits,” she said in a statement.

“It’s particularly impressive to see the process ALDI has undertaken to involve their suppliers; effectively bringing a range of businesses along on their sustainable packaging journey and delivering an efficient, cost effective approach to the entire supply chain.”

A pensioner shops in an Aldi grocery store on the Gold Coast, Thursday, April 23, 2015. (AAP Image/Dave Hunt) NO ARCHIVING
ALDI will remove plastic tableware, cotton buds and straws from its shelves. Source: AAP

ALDI has never offered single-use plastic bags, a decision that has prevented 40,000 tonnes of plastic from entering the environment in the past 18 years.

Woolworths and Coles banned single-use plastic bags last year.

Fury over plastic collectable promotions

The supermarket’s announcement comes as competitors Coles and Woolworths are being slammed over their new plastic collectable promotions.

Coles Little Shop 2 and Woolworths’ Lion King Ooshies launched on Wednesday, coinciding with Plastic-Free July.

A petition is calling to boycott the promotions saying it was a “slap in the face” for all people who cared about the planet.

A collector's case shows all of Coles' Little Shop 2 collectables on Wednesday. Source: Coles
Coles released its Little Shop 2 collectables on Wednesday. Source: Coles

“We need to change our habits, adding more unnecessary plastic items to landfill for the sake of a novelty is just selfish and careless,” one said.

The petition comes after a woman found one of the plastic toys washed up on a Bali beach afters Coles’ first Little Shop promotion last year.

Coles told Yahoo News Australia its mini collectables were designed for customers to keep and not dispose of and shoppers could choose whether they wanted to collect or not.

“The Little Shop campaign only runs for a limited time and customers are able to recycle the wrappers at their nearest store through our in-store REDCycle program,” a spokesperson said.

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