Lidl GB hoped to increase its sales of meat and dairy alternatives by 400% in 2025, but this has been significantly exceeded by almost 700%!
The new range includes plant based: fish goujons, chicken pieces, beef burgers, peri peri chicken, Moroccan style burgers, bacon rashers, schnitzel, and cordon blue. Additionally, more falafel, tofu and plant-based milks are now available for purchase! Lidl hopes that the protein consumed from its Plant-Based products represents 25% of its total protein sales by 2020, and let us hope it represents significantly more.
This plant-based range has been long awaited, especially after research into the food quality standards and welfare conditions of the animals exploited and killed for Lidle’s meat, egg and dairy products.
Meanwhile, last year microbial research from an independent accredited lab was published which investigated the quality Lidl’s poultry products. The concerning findings were reported by the non-profit Open Cages, including how 58% of Lidl’s chicken products were contaminated with bacteria which were resistant to several antibiotics, known as ‘superbugs’, and 48% were contaminated with Faecal bacteria E-Coli. This poses significant health risks to its consumers and wider biosecurity.
Furthermore, the chicken sold by Lidl has significant welfare problems; 74% of the ‘basic’ label chickens sold by Lidl were found with ‘hock’ burns, caused by prolonged contact with their own excrement and subsequent exposure to ammonia.
The introduction of this compassionate range is not only good news for vegans and vegetarians, but offers an alternative to those concerned about the quality of Lidl’s animal-products.
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