Lidl has been committed to support more sustainable standards and fair trade in global supply chains for years. Back in 2006, the company was the first retailer in Germany to introduce "Fairglobe," a private label for fair trade products such as coffee and organic bananas. Since summer 2019, conventional bananas with a Fairtrade certification have been available in all German Lidl stores as well. Across the board, the food retailer is pursuing a fair wages and incomes approach that includes transparency on the wage and income situation of people in global supply chains, responsible purchasing practices and the implementation of scalable pilot projects.
As part of the Initiative for Sustainable Agricultural Supply Chains (INA), Lidl is therefore working on a new industry-wide pilot project on living wages and incomes in the banana sector in Ecuador and other countries, which was presented today at an INA kick-off event. The project aims to transition at least 50 percent of the total banana assortment in Germany to living wages and incomes by 2025. "In order to achieve long-term improvements and greater transparency, it is necessary for national and international players to work together with consistent measures," says Christoph Graf, Head of Purchasing at Lidl in Germany. "That's why we expressly welcome the fact that other market players are now following suit and focusing on fair trade for one of the most popular types of fruit in Germany."
Consistent Lidl commitment to fair trade in global supply chains
Lidl also focuses on living incomes and wages for small farmers in producer countries when it comes to other raw materials and products. The grocer underlines its commitment to fair pay above all with its 15-year strategic partnership with Fairtrade. Lidl pays the most Fairtrade premiums worldwide for producers in the Global South. "By offering Fairtrade-certified products in all its stores, Lidl is an important partner in reaching consumers across the board and expanding the market share of fairly traded goods," Dieter Overath, managing director of Fairtrade Germany, explains.
The "Way to go" project, a milestone in Lidl's commitment to fair incomes, shows what a fair distribution of values in retail can look like. With its Fairtrade-certified "Way to Go" chocolate, the company provides additional income for cocoa farmers in Ghana.
For more information:
www.lidl.de/fairtrade