In many regions of the world, water is becoming scarce. Where rivers once flowed, drought now prevails. At Lidl, we are aware of this challenge and, with our water strategy, aim to protect freshwater resources and safeguard our livelihoods for the future.
At Lidl, we know that if we want to sell tomatoes from Spain or grapes from South Africa tomorrow, we need to take responsibility today. Because without water, there is no food. That is why we have developed a strategic approach that identifies water risks in a targeted way and translates them into concrete action.
The foundation is a robust analysis. Using tools such as the water stress index of the World Resources Institute (WRI) and the WWF Water Risk Filter, we assess risks at both product and country level. The focus is on particularly water-intensive product groups such as fruit and vegetables, as well as high-risk countries such as Spain, Israel and South Africa.
On this basis, we set minimum standards in production for responsible water use and promote certification according to recognised water standards. In addition, all our textiles containing cotton must come from sources certified according to recognised sustainability standards such as the Organic Content Standard (OCS).
"Water is not negotiable. If we want to continue to rely on fertile soils and clean water tomorrow, we must act today – responsibly, measurably and with impact along our entire value chain."
Beyond this, we support international initiatives such as the Alliance for Water Stewardship (AWS) and contribute our expertise to the further development of standards. In pilot projects, we work together with partners to test how water management can be effectively improved in sensitive regions. At the same time, we are working to eliminate microplastics from our Lidl private label cosmetic and personal care products (see Saving resources). This is because our water resources are increasingly threatened by plastic pollution, which does not break down in nature.
We are also continuously optimising water consumption in our stores, logistics centres and service buildings. To achieve this, we use water-saving sanitary installations and fittings in both existing and new buildings. We implement special fittings and washbasins with light control and self-closing taps, as well as showers with optimised timing settings to avoid unnecessary water consumption. In addition, we train our employees to use water resources responsibly.
