Lidl, Aldi and Tesco: How to meet retailer standards and ensure future-proof supply chains

The food and beverage industry has experienced significant changes in recent years, driven by evolving sustainability regulations, shifting market trends, opaque supply chains, and increasing compliance demands.

These changes affect various industry actors in different ways:

• For Buyers: Retailers and large buyers are increasing standards for food safety and sustainability legislation. As consumer expectations for transparency and traceability grow, EU laws such as the CSRD, CSDDD, and EUDR require greater accountability from large businesses.

  
  

• For Suppliers: Retailers are increasingly requesting deeper insights into supply chain practices. As the demand for certified products grows, suppliers must meet certification standards to maintain partnerships.

  
  

In this increasingly globalised landscape, evaluating supplier performance and ensuring certification compliance has become more complex. Successful supply chain management now requires strong communication and collaboration with suppliers to have better insight into certification status. Establishing trust and transparency allows retailers to assess potential risks and challenges associated with their own supply chains.

Key Focus Areas in Retailer Supply Chains

Modern retailers are prioritising supply chain optimisation. As supply chains become more complex and globalised, meeting different compliance requirements is increasingly challenging. Retailers are demanding greater visibility into supplier processes and working conditions, to comply with legislation and meet consumer demands for transparency.

There is a huge influx of certifications and standards surrounding food safety (e.g. BRC), sustainability (e.g., Fairtrade) and product-specific verification (e.g., Halal). This means that suppliers have a lot more administrative work than in the past, trying to stay up to date with the various certifications.

So with all this added work, what are the most common certifications that retailers use?

Retailer Priorities

Retailer	Key Priorities	Environmental Certifications	Social Certifications	Food Safety Certifications
Lidl	Sustainable agriculture Human rights Animal welfare	GlobalG.A.P. Rainforest Alliance LEAF Marque	Fairtrade	GFSI (BRC, IFS, FSSC)
Aldi	Due diligence mechanisms Ethical labour & working conditions	SPRING Rainforest Alliance Global G.A.P. MSC ASC	Fairtrade Fair For Life SIZA	GFSI
Tesco	Ethical sourcing Environmental protection Animal welfare	Fairtrade Global G.A.P. SEDEX	Fairtade SEDEX	BRC

Popular Certifications for Suppliers

Due to increasing regulatory requirements and consumer expectations, suppliers are frequently asked to provide certifications that demonstrate social and environmental responsibility. Key certifications include:

• Fairtrade

  • Promotes fair trading conditions with producers with an emphasis on secure and sustainable livelihoods.

    
    

• Rainforest Alliance

  • Ensures products are certified according to environmental, social and economic sustainability criteria.

    
    

• Global G.A.P. (Good Agricultural Practices):

  • Ensures agricultural products (fruit, vegetables, livestock, aquaculture) are grown sustainably and safely.

  • Verifies food safety, sustainability, and traceability in the supply chain.

    
    

• GRASP (Global Risk Assessment on Social Practice):

  • Global G.A.P add-on that assesses worker health, safety, and labor rights.

  • Provides an additional report attached to the Global G.A.P certification.

    
    

• IFS (International Featured Standards):

  • Ensures food safety and quality management for manufacturers and retailers.

    
    

• BRCGS (Food Safety Global Standard):

  • Ensures compliance with food safety laws, quality control, and hygiene practices.

  • Widely required by major retailers and international food businesses.

    
    

• FSSC (Food Safety System Certification):

  • Based on ISO22000, HACCP, and industry-specific standards.

    
    

• SMETA/SEDEX (Sedex Members Ethical Trade Audit):

  • Ethical trade audit that assesses labor standards, health & safety, environmental practices, and business ethics.

    
    

Future-Proof Supply Chains

As regulatory demands increase and consumer expectations shift, retailers are placing a greater emphasis on sustainable sourcing, ethical labour practices, and supply chain transparency.

Businesses now require:

• Real-time insights into supplier compliance status

  
  

• Traceability across the entire supply chain to meet regulatory standards

  
  

Failure to comply can result in supply chain disruptions, legal penalties, and loss of investor confidence. Consequently, companies are shifting towards automated compliance tracking and centralised data management to meet these evolving demands efficiently.

By prioritising supplier relationships and data-driven insights, businesses can better manage risks, build trust with their partners, and meet the rising demands for compliant products.

Interested in learning more about how Agriplace can simplify your compliance process?

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