This Dutch supermarket wants to be the most sustainable: here’s how

Dutch supermarket giant, Albert Heijn, say it’s going hard on sustainability in an attempt to encourage shoppers to make more environmentally-friendly shopping choices. 

From meat replacements to plastic-free shopping options, everyone’s favourite, cheapest, most dominant Dutch supermarket claims they’re bringing the goods for a greener future, reports NU.nl. 

Bad news for meat eaters

The carnivores among us may want to cover their ears because it looks like Albert Heijn is on a mission to cut down on the meat options they stock. 

The supermarket is pushing meat-free substitutes in an effort to encourage shoppers to make more sustainable purchases. 

The store claims it doesn’t necessarily want to discourage people from eating meat, but rather provide them with more non-meat options. 

READ MORE | Visible climate action: Haarlem to ban meat in public advertisements

Less plastic, less waste

Albert Heijn also wants to encourage more customers to bring their own packaging.

That means you must remember not just your bags but also your Tupperware containers, or else you might end up attempting to carry pasta home in your hands. 🙃

Scholte op Reimer says they want to encourage shoppers to adopt more sustainable behaviours, tempting them into more ‘green’ behaviours. 

READ MORE | Albert Heijn finally says “doeg” to plastic bags for fruit and veg — this time for real

However, in terms of the influence on the climate, Scholte op Reimer states that packaging and transport play only a small role, “The biggest impact is in the product itself.”

Alright, Albert Heijn, talk to us when you’ve stopped unnecessarily wrapping cucumbers in plastic. 🥒

Falling behind on Paris Agreement

But, amongst all the plans to encourage shoppers to make more sustainable choices, it looks like Albert Heijn is missing its own goals. 

The Paris Agreement is a collective of goals set by the United Nations to limit climate change globally. Under this agreement, countries, the Netherlands included, pledged to decrease their greenhouse gas emissions by 45% before 2030. 

Albert Hijn is falling behind on this promise, with the store likely to cut down by only 15% by 2030. 

If they don’t meet these goals, the store faces court action. “A lawsuit can also damage the image of Albert Heijn,” says Scholte op Reimer. 

Well, while Albert Heijn tries to attempt to make some sustainable changes, we’ll be clutching our frikandel in desperation. 🌭😭

What do you think of these sustainability measures? Tell us your thoughts in the comments below! 👇