Lidl and WWF Reach a Milestone in Their Tea Sourcing Partnership
Black, green, and rooibos teas are fully certified by Fairtrade, the Rainforest Alliance, or the EU Organic certification program
Effective immediately, Lidl in Germany will source tea for its private-label brands exclusively in accordance with recognized sustainability standards: As part of its partnership with the international WWF network—coordinated by WWF Switzerland—the food retailer has committed to source all black, green, and rooibos tea exclusively from verifiably certified cultivation—regardless of whether the tea is procured directly or through partners. Currently, 100 percent of these tea varieties are already certified according to established standards such as fairtrade, Rainforest Alliance, or EU Organic. This milestone is a significant step forward in the joint efforts of Lidl and the international WWF network to further develop raw material supply chains.
Specific Measures for the Procurement of Certified Raw Materials
The partnership between Lidl and the international WWF network, launched in 2024, goes far beyond mere raw material targets. Both organizations are working together to address environmental risks in global supply chains, for example by protecting valuable ecosystems from deforestation and land conversion, as well as by reducing the use of synthetic chemical pesticides.
"Our collaboration with the international WWF network helps us to further develop our procurement processes in a targeted manner. By relying entirely on certified raw materials for black, green, and rooibos teas, we support the protection of ecosystems and better working conditions at the source, and enable our customers to make targeted purchases of certified tea in their daily lives," explains Miriam Schroer, Head of CSR & Sustainability at Lidl Dienstleistung GmbH & Co. KG.
Transparent Certification Standards
When sourcing certified private-label tea (black, green, and rooibos tea), Lidl relies on the transparent criteria of established certification bodies:
EU Organic: A complete ban on synthetic chemical pesticides to protect soil and water. Rainforest Alliance: Protects existing forests from being converted into farmland and preserves the natural habitat of native biodiversity. * Fairtrade: Guarantees tea farmers fixed minimum prices and ensures fair wages and better working conditions for tea pickers.
A Wider Selection of Certified Tea
With its comprehensive selection of verifiably certified private-label teas, Lidl makes it easier to make conscious purchasing decisions in everyday life: Customers can specifically choose products with recognized seals and standards such as EU Organic, Fairtrade, or Rainforest Alliance. These standards each include different requirements regarding the environmental and social aspects of tea cultivation.
Note: This article has been translated using a computer system without human intervention. LUMITOS offers these automatic translations to present a wider range of current news. Since this article has been translated with automatic translation, it is possible that it contains errors in vocabulary, syntax or grammar. The original article in German can be found here.
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