What used to end up as waste is now a resource with potential. At Lidl, we view operational waste as valuable materials and, together with the other Schwarz Group companies, are committed to returning it to the cycle. To achieve this, we have established a comprehensive resource and waste management system and are reinforcing our leading role in the circular economy: our Road to Zero Waste concept for reducing waste and driving innovative solutions in retail.
More than 12,000 Lidl stores worldwide also means one thing: significant volumes of operational waste—from packaging and load carriers such as pallets and boxes to cardboard, paper, stretch film and wood. Together with the other Schwarz Group companies, our suppliers, waste management partners and customers, we are working to avoid this waste and reuse more materials. Because every container saved, every package recycled conserves raw materials, energy and CO₂. With our Road to Zero Waste concept, we have therefore committed not only to complying with legal and regulatory requirements, but to exceeding them.
Our shared commitment across the Schwarz Group: by the end of 2030, we will reuse, recycle, digest or compost at least 95% of our waste. To achieve this, we focus on empowering our employees as well as implementing clear signage and container systems to improve sorting. At the heart of this approach is the idea of keeping resources in the loop for as long as possible. Within our operations, we systematically track material flows and ensure consistent separation by type. The purer and more precise the separation, the greater the likelihood that materials can be effectively recycled. Wherever possible, materials are reused, recycled, digested or composted. Non-recyclable materials are avoided wherever possible—otherwise they are thermally treated, incinerated or disposed of in landfills. A dedicated waste management system helps us continuously improve processes and develop new recovery pathways.
"Every avoided package, every correctly sorted piece of cardboard brings us closer to our goal: as little waste as possible, as much recovery as necessary. That is our Road to Zero Waste concept."
In our Road to Zero Waste concept, we have already made strong progress: in the 2025 financial year, a total of 2.66 million tonnes of recyclable materials and waste were generated across Lidl operations, of which 2.39 million tonnes were reused, recycled, digested or composted. This corresponds to almost 90% of our total material volume. Lidl Czech Republic, Lidl Netherlands and Lidl Ireland have already reduced the share of non-recoverable operational waste to a maximum of 5%. This target will be implemented across all Lidl countries by 2030. In addition, these three countries, along with Lidl Northern Ireland, have been awarded the “Road to Zero Waste” Gold certification by TÜV SÜD.
The Road to Zero Waste concept is part of the holistic circular economy strategy Circular economy strategy REset Resources of the Schwarz Group companies: all business units work together to reduce resource use, promote reuse, increase recyclability and circularity, secure access to valuable materials and strengthen the use of recycled materials.
As part of our circular waste management approach, we are supported by GreenCycle, a professional and reliable partner. The company is part of PreZero, the Schwarz Group’s environmental services division. GreenCycle manages operational waste and recycling for Lidl in Germany and supports Lidl countries in identifying suitable recycling partners, establishing separated material streams and sharing best practices. It also supports the regular evaluation of our recovery rates. This collaboration is part of the Schwarz Group’s joint commitment to a functioning circular economy.
The fact that our approach creates impact beyond our core concept is demonstrated by a range of initiatives in Lidl countries focused on handling valuable materials in everyday life: Lidl Greece, for example, is working with the Athanassios C. Laskaridis Charitable Foundation to combat plastic pollution. Since 2020, with support from Lidl employees, nearly 6 tonnes of waste have been removed from Greek coastlines and underwater. Since 2024, the programme has also been closely linked to the Cleanup collective on our company-wide volunteering platform YOU.
In Portugal, Lidl is a pioneer in waste prevention and circular economy practices. Through the TransforMAR programme, Lidl works with the Portuguese waste management company Electrão, the Portuguese Environment Agency (APA) and several environmental NGOs to collect plastic waste—and demonstrate how valuable new products can be created from it. Since 2018, more than 270 tonnes of plastic waste and scrap metal have been collected from beaches, seas and rivers, and fishing nets have been removed from open waters. At the same time, annual summer initiatives on Portuguese beaches raise awareness among children and young people about the importance of recycling through interactive learning formats. TransforMAR is an integral part of the Schwarz Group’s REset Resources circular economy strategy.
Lidl Hungary launched a broad, award-winning awareness campaign on waste separation in 2023, reaching thousands of people through social media, workshops and school initiatives. In 2024, the campaign was extended to students and received the Hungarian CSR Award for best CSR communication. Another key lever is the collection of used cooking oils and fats: in 2024, customers were able to return used oil at 125 Lidl stores across the country. Nearly 292 tonnes were collected and converted into biodiesel.
These examples show that responsibility starts locally. In Lidl countries, in our stores and warehouses, we demonstrate every day that the transition from a linear “take-make-dispose” model to a circular economy is possible. Our Road to Zero Waste concept is our contribution to conserving resources and reducing environmental impact—and to building a more sustainable economy.
