Wood fiber

Perhaps unknown to some, a large number of products in grocery retail contains wood fibers. Ahold Delhaize brands use wood fiber in the form of pulp and paper for products like toilet paper, kitchen paper, or paper plates, and in packaging. The wood fiber used in our products comes from either natural forests or pulpwood plantations, which both face sustainability challenges. Illegal logging of natural forests can result in forest and habitat loss, but also in major economic losses for production countries and communities.

Creating products from sustainable wood fiber is possible. It means paying attention to the source, and making sure the wood used, comes from well-managed farms. Farms that have been built on already used or degraded lands so no forest had to be cut. Well managed plantations also have higher yields and help conserve biodiversity.

Ahold Delhaize brands apply a three-pronged approach towards wood fiber, whereby all products or packaging are aimed to be either ‘certified’, ‘low risk’, or ‘recycled’. The brands take different kinds of actions to achieve this goal. At Delhaize, our Belgian and Luxembourg brand, half of the own brand products containing wood fiber pulp come from a sustainable source, and they are working hard on improving the second half. Delhaize’s own brand diapers have made the switch to 100% sustainable materials, made from PEFC certified wood fiber coming from the USA. Our next step is to improve packaging containing wood fiber, like the cardboard of a box of cereals for example.

Add the end of 2021 96% of own-brand wood fiber products were certified against an acceptable standard or are low risk, or recycled.