Aldi to fuel more than 30% of UK truck fleet with renewable diesel

The grocery-store chain Aldi announced Sept. 27 that it is converting more than 30 percent of its U.K. fleet of owned heavy-goods vehicles to operate on hydrotreated vegetable oil (HVO), also known as renewable diesel.

The move is taking place on more than 160 vehicles based at its Cardiff, Swindon and Neston distribution centers.

The switch to HVO is expected to reduce the supermarket’s carbon footprint by approximately 15,432 metric tons of CO2e per year.

HVO is a diesel alternative that significantly lowers greenhouse-gas emissions compared with conventional diesel.

If implemented across Aldi’s entire fleet of more than 550 heavy-goods vehicles, the change could eliminate an additional 55,130 tons of CO2e per year.

“Switching to HVO fuels on our lorry fleet aligns with our long-term sustainability goals and reflects our commitment to reducing our carbon emissions,” said Liz Fox, Aldi’s national sustainability director.

“We are always looking for ways to continue our efforts to drive positive change across the business, and this move in particular is a significant milestone for Aldi,” Fox added.