Lidl

How ethical is Lidl?

Lidl is a European supermarket brand which sells bananas sourced from Colombia, Costa Rica and  Ecuador. Lidl has been given a below-benchmark score on The Good Shopping Guide’s Ethical Bananas Ratings Table. Although it has not yet met our ethical benchmark, we hope to see Lidl make progress in future.

Read more about the issues facing the Ethical Bananas sector and find out which companies have achieved accreditation for their commitment to being ethical and sustainable.

In which areas does Lidl perform poorly?

Lidl is awarded a bottom score for our Organic criterion as it has no certification. It also gets a poor rating for Animal Welfare, as it was recently accused by The Humane League of animal cruelty following an investigation by Open Cages which showed evidence of systematic abuse of chickens on farms supplying the supermarket.

In which areas does Lidl score well for its ethics?

Lidl is given a middle rating for our Fair Trade criterion as its bananas are mostly Fairtrade. It also gets a top score for its Environmental Report which contains lots of clear targets.

We found no criticisms of Lidl relating to; GM, Nuclear Power, Fossil Fuels, Political Donations or Armaments, so it scores well for these criteria.

How can Lidl improve its ethical rating?

The below-benchmark score that Lidl is awarded is the result of an evaluation of multiple ethical criteria. To reach our minimum benchmark score and qualify for Ethical Accreditation, Lidl has some issues to resolve including its poor Animal Welfare record.

Were you aware that your brand could benefit from Ethical Accreditation? Brands accredited by The Good Shopping Guide can display our Ethical Mark, showcasing to consumers that it is an ethical and sustainable brand. If you’re interested in learning more, please contact us or complete a Free Initial Assessment form.