Lidl’s choice to increase plant-based offerings welcomed by partnered suppliers

Lidl’s decision to increase its plant-based product range has been welcomed by one of its partnered suppliers ProVeg International.

The German discounter made the move to reduce reduce animal-based products as part of a strategy to reduce the company’s environmental impact.

ProVeg and the major retailer have been working closely together since 2019, and are now promoting the expansion to tap into the growing audience of people who want to integrate more plant-based foods into their lives.

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Lidl’s own-brand plant-based range is called Vemendo and has increased to over 50 private label products since launching two years ago.

The assortment is continuously expanded, with the goal of offering alternatives in every product category such as meat and fish alternatives, ready meals, pizzas, pasta, and ice cream.

All Vemondo products are V-Label certified, making them easy to recognise and providing certainty to customers that no animal ingredients are included.

Lidl’s stocking of key plant-based brands like Alpro and Beyond Meat also strengthens consumer confidence in the plant-based category. As a result, Lidl stores now stocks more than 450 plant-based products.

“Lidl has taken a bold and necessary step to help consumers transition to a more plant-based diet. Animal agriculture is responsible for 20% of global greenhouse gas emissions and shifting to plant-based diets is an effective way to reduce those emissions,” director of corporate engagement at ProVeg, Stephanie Jaczniakowska-McGirr said.

“We urge other retailers to follow in the footsteps of Lidl and actively increase their plant-based offerings to support the growing number of people following flexitarian, vegetarian and vegan diets,” Jaczniakowska-McGirr added.

Lidl’s chief buyer, Christof Graf, made the announcement to decrease animal protein and increase plant protein at Germany’s biggest agricultural show, Green Week, in January. He said that there was “no alternative” because “there is no second planet”.

It comes as Lidl is expanding its ‘Good to Give’ initiative to include hygeine products as demand for these items soar among UK charities.