ALDI

Policy:Adopted a retailer safer chemicals policy

9.5 out of 23.5 points

ALDI receives partial credit for a public safer chemicals policy that applies to all locations and includes a beyond restricted substance list (BRSL) and a manufacturing restricted substance list (MRSL) for textiles. For ALDI, textiles amount to a minor product category that includes apparel products, home textiles, and footwear. The company adopted the Zero Discharge of Hazardous Chemicals (ZDHC) MRSL, which includes 11 classes of chemicals of high concern (CHCs), for these products. The 11 classes are alkylphenol ethoxylates (APEOs), per- and polyfluorinated compounds (PFCs), heavy metals, phthalates, brominated and chlorinated flame retardants, azo dyes, organotin compounds, chlorobenzenes, chlorinated solvents, chlorophenols, and short-chain chlorinated paraffins (SCCPs). ALDI stated in its 2020 Detox Report: “Out of the 11 prioritised chemical groups, ALDI decided to target [for elimination] the 7 which were deemed the most problematic for contaminations. They are APEOs, banned azo dyes, chlorobenzenes, chlorophenols, PFCs, organotin compounds, [and] SCCPs.” For 2020, ALDI’s goals for eliminating CHCs in wastewater and sludge are aligned with the goals of ZDHC MRSL, which involves complete elimination of the 11 classes of CHCs.

ALDI’s BRSL that includes the eleven CHCs also applies to operations, prohibiting those CHCs in employee uniforms. In addition, ALDI’s receipt paper is free of bisphenol A (BPA). ALDI receives partial credit (.75 points) for a BRSL that eliminates BPA in packaging for its store-brand Little Journey baby food pouches. ALDI also prohibits BPA from packaging for Simply Nature products, but no credit is awarded for this, as addressing only an organic product line does not represent progress toward making all products safer.

The company does not have a publicly available beyond restricted material list (BRML) for plastics of environmental health concern (PEHCs). ALDI’s safer chemicals policy, with a few exceptions, does not seek to eliminate toxic indirect food additives that may be in food-contact materials.

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Oversight: Established management responsibilities and incentives

2.5 out of 5 points

ALDI’s international team, led by its Director and supported by associates, is dedicated to the management of ALDI’s Detox requirements for apparel, textiles, and shoes. ALDI’s national Buying Director is responsible for managing the chemical policy for Little Journey non-food products.

The 2017 Corporate Responsibility Report states that “up to top management level, representatives of the CR departments participate in all important international committees of the ALDI SOUTH Group. Consequently, CR-related aspects are considered within the scope of decision-making processes at top level.”

ALDI does not appear to offer financial incentives for senior management to implement its safer chemicals policies.

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Accountability: Ensures supply chain accountability

7.5 out of 15 points

ALDI ensures textile and footwear suppliers are held accountable to its safer chemicals policy through supplier contracts, extensive training, collaboration with industry-wide initiatives, and required wastewater and sludge testing through third-party entities. Aldi has not disclosed that it conducts its own testing to ensure suppliers comply with its safer chemicals policy.

According to ALDI’s 2020 Detox report, “All chemicals must comply with input requirements and provide document evidence such as ZDHC MRSL declarations, bluesign® approval letter, ECO PASSPORT by OEKO-TEX® approval letter, the Global Organic Textile Standard (GOTS) approval letter and chemical screening certificates.” Textile and footwear suppliers must collaborate with the RUDOLF GROUP to provide PFC-free alternatives to our supply chain partners and with Covestro on water-based PU to enable the elimination of dimethylformamide (DMF).

Suppliers are required to actively participate in amfori Business Environmental Performance Initiative (BEPI) to assist with data analysis of production facilities.

ALDI offers online and face-to-face training programs. In 2019, the company joined the Advanced Chemical Management Training program for wet processing units. “ALDI US provides training for suppliers on chemicals management, such as for APEOs or on general wastewater management, to promote the implementation of its chemical elimination strategy. The company partners with amfori BEPI to collaborate throughout supply chains; the amfori BEPI platform also gives suppliers access to trainings by Zero Discharge of Hazardous Chemicals, which convey information on Detox-related activities.”

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Disclosure: Requires suppliers to report use of chemicals in products to retailer

1.25 out of 17.5 points

ALDI’s 2020 Detox report states: “We expect all production facilities to use only [Zero Discharge of Hazardous Chemicals (ZDHC)] compliant chemicals and to demonstrate this by maintaining a chemical inventory and Safety Data Sheets (SDS) for all chemicals used for production of goods offered by ALDI (ALDI goods). Compliance can be demonstrated by declarations of conformity issued by bluesign® system partners, documents provided by approved certificate issuers or accredited testing institutes and evidence concerning the use of ‘bluesign® approved’ chemicals.” ALDI requires that suppliers submit this information – the chemical inventory, SDS’s, and the other means of demonstrating compliance – to the company on request. ALDI receives partial credit of 1.25 points for requiring reporting only upon request for a minor product category.

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Action: Reduced or eliminated chemicals of high concern (CHCs) or plastics of environmental health concern (PEHCs) within the last three years

13.5 out of 26 points

ALDI has reported progress in reducing or eliminating two classes of chemicals of concern (CHCs) used in apparel, footwear, and household textiles since November 2017. ALDI receives partial credit for its efforts since these textiles are collectively a minor product category for a grocery chain.

The company reports a complete elimination of PFAS in all apparel, footwear and household textiles. According to the ALDI Detox Report 2020, “Bionic-Finish®ECO by the RUDOLF GROUP has allowed us to eliminate per- and polyfluorinated chemicals (PFCs), one of the hazardous chemical group[s] identified by Greenpeace.”

ALDI’s production facilities achieved and reported progressive reductions in the detection of alkylphenol ethoxylates (APEOs) in wastewater and sludge. The share of wet-processing facilities free of APEOs were 47% in 2016, 55% in 2017, 65% in 2018, and 78% in 2019.

ALDI has made steady progress between 2016 and 2019 in increasing the share of wastewater and sludge analyses free of azo dyes, chlorobenzenes, PFCs, chlorophenols, organotins, phthalates, and chlorinated solvents. The company also reported increases in the share of wet-processing facilities with valid wastewater and sludge analyses: 78% in 2016, 89% in 2017, 95% in 2018, and 97% in 2019.

ALDI has not publicly documented progress on reducing plastics of environmental health concern beyond regulatory compliance in the last three years.

Glossary of Terms

Safer Alternatives: Evaluates safer alternatives, avoids regrettable substitutes

4.5 out of 16 points

ALDI prefers safer alternatives to the chemicals of high concern (CHCs) it has targeted for elimination from apparel, household textiles, and footwear. ALDI requires suppliers work with third parties to assure use of safer alternatives to PFAS and dimethylformamide (DMF) in apparel and footwear.

According to the ALDI DETOX REPORT 2020: “We have made significant progress in eliminating hazardous chemicals, including exploring innovative ways to substitute them with environmentally friendly products. For example, Bionic-Finish®ECO by the RUDOLF GROUP has allowed us to eliminate per- and polyfluorinated chemicals (PFCs), one of the hazardous chemical group[s] identified by Greenpeace.”

Textile and footwear suppliers must collaborate with the RUDOLF GROUP to provide PFC-free alternatives to our supply chain partners and with Covestro on water-based PU to enable the elimination of dimethylformamide (DMF).

ALDI also requires store-brand Simply Nature non-food products to avoid ingredients that are unacceptable under EPA’s Safer Choice program.

ALDI meets the criteria for 6.5 points, except for having a public definition of safer alternative that is consistent with the Mind the Store campaign’s definition. The company receives partial credit because apparel and household textiles are only a minor part of its business.

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Transparency: Demonstrates a commitment to transparency and public disclosure

6.25 out of 20 points

ALDI’s Detox Commitment and the beyond restricted substance list (BRSL) and manufacturing restricted substance list (MRSL) are both available to the public online. ALDI receives partial credit because textiles and footwear are only a minor part of its business in North America.

ALDI does not appear to encourage or require suppliers to publicly disclose ingredients in products online or on product packaging going beyond regulatory compliance.

In its 2020 Detox report, ALDI noted: “In 2018, we launched a customer-oriented ALDI Transparency Code (ATC) for ALDI Nord and Check Your Product (CYP) for ALDI SOUTH. All sustainable cotton articles with certifications from the Global Organic Textile Standard (GOTS), Cotton made in Africa (CmiA), Organic Content Standard (OCS) and Fairtrade are published on the platforms.” However, these consumer sites are not available for US consumers.

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Chemical Footprint: Evaluates its chemical footprint

4.5 out of 7.5 points

ALDI participated in the 2020 Chemical Footprint Project (CFP) survey for its entire product range, but has not disclosed its CFP responses or scores.

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Third-party Standards: Promotes credible third-party standards for safer products

4.5 out of 8.5 points

ALDI receives partial credit for requiring that apparel and footwear suppliers (a small share of all of their product suppliers) meet one of several third-party standards to eliminate chemicals of concern. “All chemicals must comply with input requirements and provide document evidence such as [Zero Discharge of Hazardous Chemicals Manufacturing Restricted Substance List] declarations, bluesign® approval letter, ECO PASSPORT by OEKO-TEX® approval letter, the Global Organic Textile Standard (GOTS) approval letter and chemical screening certificates.”

Glossary of Terms