One grain at a time: Lidl GB receives sustainable rice verification in UK supermarket first

Lidl GB is the first UK supermarket to have own label rice verified under the 'Sustainable Rice Platform' (SRP) label, supporting high environmental and social standards. The verified rice is now available in stores nationwide.

Rice is a vital crop for 150 million farmers globally, but its traditional production methods are challenging, accounting for up to 40% of global freshwater use and generating approximately 10% of global methane emissions.

By choosing this verified rice, customers are helping to address these issues.

The new standard ensures the rice is grown to protect the planet, through using fewer resources and helping improve farmer incomes by making cultivation more efficient. This framework also provides vital traceability across the entire supply chain.

This launch reinforces Lidl GB’s long standing commitment to human rights and responsible sourcing and follows on from the discounter meeting all of its 2025 raw material targets. It has been conducting human rights impact assessments for identified critical raw materials for a number of years, including Kenyan tea, Colombian bananas, Italian tinned tomatoes, and South African wine. Targeted action plans are developed to address identified challenges and support continuous improvement across the supply chain, both in Great Britain and worldwide. 

Charlotte Curtress, head of quality and sustainability at Lidl GB, said: ‘Introducing SRP verified rice is a major milestone in responsible sourcing, driving sustainability across the supply chain and meeting all of our 2025 raw material targets. This verifiable standard directly addresses environmental challenges by protecting the planet, using fewer resources, and helping improve farmer incomes. Building on this milestone, we are already continuing our responsible sourcing work by conducting a human rights and environmental impact assessment in the rice supply chain, collaborating with industry partners to identify and address further areas for activity.’

Peter McAllister, executive director at Sustainable Rice Platform, said: ‘We are delighted to see Lidl GB taking leadership in offering sustainable rice to its customers. Rice has a significant impact on the climate and the local environment. By sourcing SRP Verified Rice, Lidl GB sends a strong signal about its commitment to sustainability to its customers and at the same time directly helps farmers to be more productive, protect their local environment and ensure climate resilience.’