This store concept is built in accordance with the Platinum certification criteria of the German Sustainable Building Council – the highest standard for sustainable buildings. It features a demountable and recyclable timber structure without composite materials, a laminated timber façade and shop windows made from recycled glass. The construction concept is complemented by efficient building services with heat recovery, as well as electrochromic, self-tinting glass that protects against glare and heat.

With timber-built stores – such as the one in Wangen im Allgäu – Lidl is setting new standards in store construction. This new store concept takes into account the entire lifecycle of the building, from construction through to eventual dismantling. The aim is to minimise energy use and CO₂ emissions while maximising recyclability at the end of the building’s life.

The combination of timber construction and efficient building technology reduces energy consumption and enables the storage of around 705 tonnes of CO₂* over the store’s lifetime.

Price parity is part of our “Conscious Nutrition” strategy. Our goal is to offer customers a balanced choice and make plant-based alternatives more accessible. In doing so, Lidl is guided by scientific insights such as the Planetary Health Diet, as well as recognised methodologies for calculating protein shares in assortments, such as those developed by WWF. In this way, we support more conscious everyday choices – consistently affordable and transparent.

The initiative is based on aligning the prices of more than 30 products from our vegan private label Vemondo with comparable animal-based products. Since January 2024, these items have been available in all Lidl stores at the same base price as their animal-based equivalents. Importantly, the comparison is not made with premium branded products, but with our own competitively priced private labels.

Plant-based alternatives should be a real choice – including in terms of price. That is why Lidl Austria has introduced price parity for vegan products. This means that a plant-based shopping basket at Lidl costs no more than a comparable basket with animal-based products. This benefits all customers who choose plant-based alternatives for items such as milk, minced meat, schnitzel or spreads.

The initiative is based on a scientifically sound carbon footprint assessment of farms using the recognised AgriClimateChangeTool (ACCT). Based on these assessments, tailored measures are recommended, such as more efficient use of manure or adjustments to feeding practices. The additional effort is rewarded: farmers receive a financial premium per litre of milk when they implement agreed climate measures. In this way, Lidl, together with regional farmers, is strengthening approaches to greater climate protection – in partnership and step by step.

A significant share of greenhouse gas emissions occurs before products even reach the shelves – in agriculture and processing. This is exactly where Lidl in Germany takes action. Together with around 50 farmers, as well as partners from science and production, Lidl is working within the value-added programme of the regional brand “Ein gutes Stück Bayern” to systematically measure and gradually reduce CO₂ emissions in milk production.

How can beef production evolve to better address environmental and animal welfare considerations? This is the question Lidl Ireland is tackling through its Sustainable Beef Programme, working together with Irish cattle farmers and partners from agriculture and processing. The focus is on sharing innovative farming practices and piloting measures that help to better understand environmental impacts while placing greater emphasis on animal welfare, water stewardship and biodiversity. 

More than 20 cattle farmers from different regions of Ireland are currently participating in the programme (as of 2024), with more expected to join. Lidl Ireland is investing over €200,000 over a four-year period. The aim is to make progress transparent, raise awareness of environmental challenges in beef production and provide insights into the measures implemented by participating farms.

Implementation is supported by the AgNav agricultural sustainability platform. Participating farms record verified data on their practices and regularly track their progress. They also receive ongoing technical support. An important element of the programme is knowledge exchange on site: farmers and external industry experts share insights and showcase best practices for more sustainable agriculture.