Shortly after deciding to phase out meat from battery farms, the German supermarket chain Aldi has announced that it will also start sourcing all of its milk from ethical producers. Rival supermarket group Edeka made a similar announcement earlier this week. 

Aldi and Edeka opt for milk that promises better animal welfare 

More and more supermarkets in Germany are starting to turn their backs on animal products sourced from farms with low welfare standards. Discounter chains Aldi Nord and Aldi Süd have announced that they intend to phase out milk products that only meet minimum legal requirements for animal welfare. The changeover should happen by 2024 at the latest and includes all of Aldi’s own-brand milk. It does not affect other milk-based products like cheese. 

Edeka, Germany’s largest supermarket, and its discount chain Netto, made a similar announcement earlier this week - but set themselves the sooner target of the end of this year. They also plan to make the switchover for other milk and dairy products. 

Meat and dairy products in Germany to show animal welfare label

Over the past few weeks, all major grocery retailers in Germany have announced that they will introduce a four-stage animal welfare label for meat and dairy products by the end of next year. While scores 1 and 2 indicate indoor-reared livestock, levels 3 and 4 guarantee that the animals get more space, fresh air and exercise. Organic products are automatically classified as level 4. 

Aldi has now pledged that it will phase out milk that comes from farms that do not meet welfare standards 3 or 4. Last summer, the supermarket chain also promised to improve its meat range step by step and no longer offer products from level 1. Edeka will ensure that all milk products adhere to level 2 standards or higher. 

According to an Aldi manager, the last few years have shown that demand for food produced by “animal welfare-friendly farming” is steadily increasing among customers.