European retail giants, including Lidl, REWE, Colruyt, Albert Heijn, Billa, Biedronka, and others, will meet at ProVeg International’s inaugural Retailer Roundtable, Market Leaders Building a Greener Future, on the 24th of October 2023 in Berlin.
“Retailers have proven to be the leading lights in transitioning consumers to more climate-friendly foods”
Serving as a platform for collaboration and knowledge, participants will address the sector’s most challenging solutions, including achieving price parity and marketing plant-based foods with the aim to speed up the adoption of sustainable food practices.
“Retailers have proven to be the leading lights in transitioning consumers to more climate-friendly foods. This meeting will bring them together in one room to share knowledge that we hope will accelerate their efforts,” said Mathilde Alexandre, corporate and institutional engagement manager at ProVeg International.
Embracing sustainability
The ProVeg Retailer Roundtable aims to spearhead a more environmentally responsible food industry. Transformation of the global food system is needed to combat the climate crisis, as it accounts for up to one-third of total GHG emissions, argues the food awareness organization.
The event will take place just a few weeks before the UN environmental summit, COP28, which has made a long-awaited commitment to emphasize plant-based diets as a solution to address the climate crisis.
This year the Presidency of COP28 has committed to providing primarily plant-based options and labeling food emissions at the two-week event. ProVeg International will install a Food4Climate Pavilion at COP28 to raise awareness of the importance of plant-rich and cultivated foods for reducing GHG emissions.
Retailers pioneering change
Retailers are expanding their offerings of plant-based products and establishing short-term and long-term climate goals. Some examples of the latest plant-based retail initiatives include:
- Discount retailer ALDI has pledged to expand its vegan range to 1,000 products in 2024. The company has taken a significant step towards this goal and already offers over 950 vegan-labeled products encompassing all categories.
- In partnership with food manufacturing and distribution companies Danone, SAVENCIA, ANDROS, Bel Bonduelle, Unilever, and NUTRITION & SANTE, Carrefour is pioneering the development of plant-based foods in France, aiming to reach €3 billion in sales by 2026.
- Retailer Albert Heijn launched a plant-based line comprising 200 products, including 58 NPDs, this September, contributing to its goal to make 60% of all protein sold plant-based by 2030.
- Austrian supermarket chain BILLA has claimed that it offers the country’s largest plant-based range, with around 4,000 products verified as animal-free by the Vegan Society Austria.
- Lidl announced plans in February to increase its plant-based food offerings and reduce animal-based foods as part of a sustainability drive. From the available proteins, its goal is to sell 50% of vegetable proteins by 2030 — currently, only 38% are plant-based proteins.
“Our goal is to offer the best range of products for a mindful and more sustainable way of living by 2025. By setting goals for healthy and more sustainable nutrition, we want to support the transformation of food systems,” said Myriam Taphorn, nutritionist and consultant at Lidl Stiftung CSR.
Retailers interested in joining ProVeg’s roundtable can contact [email protected]
