Germany: Lidl will offer less meat in the future because of climate change

As the Lebensmittelzeitung reports, the discounter chain (belonging to the Schwarz Group) will drastically scale back its range of meat offerings in the coming years.

Christoph Graf, chief buyer for Germany at the discounter, justified the step during the "Green Week" with climate protection.

The group did not initially give any further details about the veggie project. In order to compensate for the reduced meat supply, the proportion of vegetable proteins in the range should be "continuously increased", according to the plan.

This is why Lidl wants to offer more veggie products
The measure is "without alternative" because there is no second planet, according to the Lidl justification. Therefore, one must feed oneself in such a way that the limits of the planet are taken into account. The natural resources for ten billion people are only sufficient if the proportion of meat in consumption falls, it said.

Chief buyer Graf does not see this step as an educational measure for the customers, but rather hopes for an image gain for the discounter, especially among young customers.

"I think that the younger generation is happy when we deal with the topic." Others want to "motivate" less meat consumption. Among other things, special "theme weeks" are planned in the supermarkets to promote meatless products. The group did not initially address the fact that massively increased meat prices are preventing many customers from consuming meat anyway.

With the measure, Lidl also wants to differentiate itself from the competition. A leap in sales is not initially expected and the changed range is seen as a "differentiating feature". Then you will be perceived more positively.

"Europe and the world look at us as a country," said the state-supporting words of the Lidl chief buyer on the changed range of the discount chain.

Proportion of vegetable proteins to be “continuously increased”
Lidl is also planning a transparency offensive. The percentage distribution of animal and vegetable proteins in the Lidl range is to be published in the chain's sustainability report as early as this year. By 2025, the plant content is to be “continuously increased”.

Nevertheless, the group does not want to alienate customers who are looking at their money. The core business must continue to be mastered, Lidl assured. Because: As a discounter chain, price-sensitive customers traditionally make up the core of the customer base.

Source: Berliner Zeitung