Respect for food is our strength: Together against food waste

BUSINESS: 403 PRACTICES

Lidl Hellas has been active in Greece since 1999. Today the company employs more than 6700 workers, while its network includes 231 stores and 5 state-of-the-art supply centers. It is included for the 9th consecutive year in "The Most Sustainable Companies in Greece", while for the 7th consecutive year it receives the distinction of "Top Employer" in Greece and Europe.
At Lidl Greece we are proud because we build perspective for all our stakeholders, on solid, sustainable foundations. Business ethics are a source of inspiration for our values and the chain of responsibility becomes an act of sustainable empowerment for our own people, consumers, partners.
Sustainability for us is not a simple wording, but shapes our business profile and runs horizontally through our daily life.
We are moving on the trajectory of a new sustainability strategy, which develops in three dynamic axes: "Good for the planet", "Good for people" and "Good for you" with the individual actions spread over six strategic pillars: climate protection, respect for biodiversity, conservation of resources, business law, health protection and participation in dialogue. It is a functional as well as an innovative approach that allows us to respond with best practices, at the right time, to a variety of challenges. We adapt quickly, build efficiency and remain sustainable, extroverted and beneficial to the whole.
The initiative of Lidl Hellas aims to make a meaningful contribution to the prevention and reduction of food waste across the entire value chain: from rational ordering and stock management to the shelf, consumer choice, redistribution and responsible use of organic residues. Under the central message “Respect for food is our strength”, Lidl Hellas turns a complex environmental and social issue into an everyday act, inviting employees, consumers, partners and social organizations to work together against waste. The initiative is part of the company’s “Resource Conservation” strategic pillar and is linked to its commitment to reduce food waste and organic waste by 50% by 2030.

The initiative addresses multiple audiences with a direct role in preventing food waste. It engages Lidl Hellas employees, who implement prevention practices in stores and warehouses; consumers, who are encouraged to make more responsible choices through actions such as “Choose me” and “Cheaper” products; vulnerable social groups, who benefit from food redistribution through partner organizations; and suppliers and partners, who contribute to a more efficient and responsible value chain. Its broader aim is to build a culture of food respect and prevention with a multiplier effect across society.
A long-term programme in continuous development. Actions have been gradually strengthened since 2021-2022, with 2024 as the reference year and a strategic horizon of reducing food waste by 50% by 2030.
Lidl Hellas implements an integrated food waste prevention programme that combines technology, operational processes, social partnerships and communication in order to drive a change in culture. The initiative begins before products reach the shelf, through AutoDispo, a system that supports more rational ordering and helps reduce over-ordering at warehouse and store level. In stores, the action continues with “Cheaper” labelling for products approaching their expiry date, giving them a second opportunity for consumption, as well as with the “Choose me” fruit and vegetable bag, which promotes produce with visual imperfections but full nutritional value.
At the same time, Lidl Hellas redistributes food that is no longer marketable but remains suitable for consumption, in cooperation with social welfare organizations. Organic residues that cannot be used as food are managed responsibly and converted into animal feed, biogas and fertilizers.
The communication campaign acts as the connecting platform for all these actions, giving public voice to “respect for food” and inviting people not to take a single bite for granted. The initiative’s innovative character lies in its holistic architecture: awareness is not treated as an end in itself, but is connected to practical touchpoints and measurable solutions embedded in the company’s daily operations.

The initiative has already delivered measurable environmental and social impact. In 2024, AutoDispo contributed to a 5% reduction in the sufficiency index and a 0.56% reduction in depreciated food in warehouses. More than 553 tonnes of visually imperfect fruit and vegetables were offered through the “Choose me” bag, while 17.6 tonnes of food were distributed through the Food Bank to people in need, reaching a total of 41.7 tonnes since the start of the partnership in 2022. In addition, the redistribution programme with The Smile of a Child was implemented in 144 of Lidl Hellas’ 231 stores. Environmentally, approximately 7.5 thousand tonnes of organic waste were diverted from incineration or landfill through use as animal feed, biogas and fertilizers.
Nationwide, across Lidl Hellas’ 231 stores and warehouses, as well as in social support structures through partnerships with the Food Bank and The Smile of a Child.
The initiative is built on meaningful partnerships that strengthen the social dimension of food waste prevention. Lidl Hellas cooperates with the Food Bank and The Smile of a Child to redistribute food that can no longer be sold but remains suitable for consumption. In parallel, through awareness and education collaborations, including thematic webinars on food loss and food waste, the knowledge and engagement of employees are reinforced. In this way, the action creates a multiplier effect, bringing together business, social organizations and people around a common purpose.
Lidl Hellas employees are a critical part of the initiative. Through the daily implementation of prevention processes, responsible product management, support of in-store actions and participation in educational webinars on food loss and food waste, they actively contribute to reducing waste. Their involvement strengthens the internal culture of sustainability and turns respect for food from a corporate commitment into a shared everyday practice.
The initiative strengthens Lidl Hellas’ sustainable business operation by reducing losses, improving resource management and embedding sustainability into everyday decision-making. It also enhances consumer trust, as the company connects communication with tangible solutions on the shelf and in society. Partnerships with social welfare organizations reinforce the company’s social role, while measurable ESG results demonstrate that respect for food is a consistent purpose, not an isolated CSR action.
