Worldwide grocer Aldi will secure carbon neutral status next year at its UK and Ireland locations, the company has announced.
The supermarket chain said it will reach such status in 2019 due to the installation of 388 solar panel systems since 2012 and a $25.6 million investment to upgrade its fridges, freezers and other appliances with greener equipment, according to businessgreen.com.
Overall, the retailer has managed to cut its greenhouse gas emissions per square meter of its sales floor by 53% in the past six years.
To achieve full carbon neutral status, the company will buy carbon credits and work with ClimatePartner, a company that offers climate protection to businesses, to offset its remaining emissions from next year.
Just one year ago, Aldi announced it would seek an edge in the United States over new competitors through energy efficient upgrades to hundreds of stores. In 2017, Aldi announced a $1.6 billion investment in remodeling 1,300 US stores by 2020.
Changes include creating open ceilings, adding natural lighting, LED fixtures, using energy-saving refrigeration, and relying on environmentally friendly building materials. The move was viewed as a way to help drive down operating costs and compete with other stores.
