Aldi defends itself against allegations of "milk lies" - discounters denounced again
Created: 06/29/2022, 21:29
By: Lena Zschirpe
An organization has confronted Aldi with serious allegations.
But now another company is defending itself with a statement.
Dortmund – How much is behind Aldi's promise of "climate neutrality" for a type of milk?
The Foodwatch organization recently asked this question.
The accusation: It is difficult for consumers to understand to what extent the products are really climate-neutral.
But now the operator of the project is fighting back, as RUHR24 reports.
company | Aldi |
Headquarters | meal |
founder | Karl Albrecht, Theo Albrecht |
“Advertising lie” at Aldi?
Organization defends itself against allegations
But let's start at the beginning: Aldi advertises on the milk of its own brand "Fair und gut" that it is "climate-neutral", i.e. it has no positive or negative impact on the climate.
However, the non-profit association Foodwatch accuses the discounter of not achieving this supposed climate neutrality during production, but only through so-called compensation payments to climate projects.
Here the allegations go even further: According to Foodwatch, Aldi is supposed to invest in a so-called compensation project, which is "highly problematic".
In Uruguay, for example, Aldi is investing in a reforestation project that primarily uses fast-growing eucalyptus species.
Foodwatch's accusation about the project: "In Uruguay, the discounter finances eucalyptus monocultures - in which the crop poison glyphosate destroys all biodiversity."
The climate organization defends itself against allegations against Aldi
But are Foodwatch's claims true?
The company Climate Partner, which oversees the said project in Uruguay, is now defending itself against the allegations.
A press release states, for example: "Climate Partner expressly contradicts the actions of Foodwatch against international climate protection and the projects in Uruguay and Ghana."
The criticism of the climate protection project would not take into account that strict standards would be enforced there and that the reforestation project would be "continuously" checked.
Climate Partner states that the project meets the FSC standard and the VCS standard for sustainable forest management.
Aldi sells milk that promises climate neutrality.
© Joan Cros/NurPhoto/Imago;
Thomas Trutschel/photothek/Imago;
Collage: Sabrina Wagner/RUHR24
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It goes on to say: "International climate protection projects, which are certified according to strict standards and are regularly checked, represent an absolutely necessary component in the holistic climate protection strategies of companies."
Can milk be climate neutral?
Foodwatch raises allegations against Aldi
However, Climate Partner cannot use this to overturn all of Foodwatch's allegations against Aldi.
Because other accusations from the association are: Milk cannot be produced in a climate-neutral manner and at the same time Aldi does not make any effort to reduce greenhouse gas emissions directly during milk production.
Above all, Foodwatch warns consumers not to rely on labels that promise climate neutrality.
The association even calls for a ban so that advertising with climate neutrality is prohibited in the future.
Aldi itself has not yet commented on the allegations.
However, the discounter was already in court this year.
Aldi Süd had described itself as a climate-neutral food discounter.
Dm and Rossmann have also been targeted by the German Environmental Aid (DUH) because of this type of advertising: the drugstores have also promised climate-neutral products.