Following its stakeholder forum at Fort St. Angelo, Lidl Malta, the leading supermarket chain on the islands, has officially published its first comprehensive Sustainability Magazine covering the 2025 Financial Year.

The landmark publication offers a transparent, data-driven look into the retailer’s local economic footprint, environmental performance, and community initiatives across Malta and Gozo. The publication details measurable milestones across five strategic pillars: Conserving Resources, Respecting Biodiversity, Protecting Climate, Promoting Health, and Acting Fairly. "Publishing our first Sustainability Magazine is a statement of accountability to our customers, local partners, and the Maltese public," said Owen Micallef, Lidl Malta Director.

"From the shop floor to our logistics centre, every metric in this publication reflects our conviction that operational efficiency, economic value, and social responsibility must go hand in hand." Long-Term Investment in Local Agriculture and Maltese Producers A central focus of the report is Lidl’s ongoing commitment to Maltese farming communities.

Through its long-standing partnership with the Farmers’ Central Cooperative Society (FCCS), Lidl placed more than 558k kilograms of fresh local fruit and vegetables onto store shelves during FY2025, comprising 400k kg of vegetables and 158k kg of fruit across 25 product varieties. Beyond primary agriculture, the retailer collaborates with over 30 local food suppliers – ranging from local food producers, dairies, and bakeries to livestock breeders and small-scale growers – providing Maltese enterprises with the long-term commercial stability required to grow, modernize, and invest in sustainable operations.

Combating Food Waste and Diverting Resources Addressing food waste remains a primary operational priority. Through its Feed It Back program operated alongside local NGOs, Lidl recovered and redirected over 26 tonnes of edible surplus food in FY2025, providing more than 87k meals to vulnerable families. At the store level, shoppers purchased over 18k discounted Food Saving Bags, rescuing quality produce while generating direct funds for Caritas Malta. Across its broader logistics and retail operations, Lidl successfully diverted 66.9 per cent of its total operational waste toward reuse, recycling, or composting.

Climate Action and Energy Leadership In line with its certified ISO 50001 energy management framework, Lidl Malta has operated on 100% renewable electricity across all store locations, head office, and logistics operations since March 2022.

The FY2025 report highlights the completion of the company’s first solar photovoltaic installations, which now cover nearly 20 per cent of its store footprint on the island.

Workplace Equity and Community Engagement Internally, Lidl ended the fiscal year with a workforce of over 500 employees spanning 41 nationalities, with women holding 40 per cent of management positions. The retailer maintained its official NCPE Equality Mark certification, held since 2024, and was named a Top Employer for the eighth consecutive year. Beyond store operations, team members conducted a dedicated beach clean-up alongside Nature Trust Malta and supported a local school beach clean-up, while the business extended its support for the St Jeanne Antide Foundation's Nourishing Young Minds campaign, providing daily school lunch ingredients to children in need, among other initiatives.