The supermarket chain Lidl Hellas is to contribute 500,000 euros to the “Plastic Free Santorini” campaign in its first major collaboration with bodies of the Greek state.

The move was announced on June 14 on Santorini at a joint press conference held with Minister of Tourism Harry Theocharis and Mayor of Santorini Antonis Sigalas.

“For Lidl Hellas one of the main pillars of responsible entrepreneurship is sustainability. Our message, “Plastic Free Santorini,” is loud and clear: We must protect the environment. But we must also support Greek tourism, and Greek Summer 2020, in these truly critical times. Our aim is to reduce the unnecessary use of plastic, and the use of single-use plastic items; to recycle; to think in terms of a circular economy; to protect our shores and seas,” said Lidl Hellas Chairman Jacob Andreanidis.

“Plastic Free Santorini” is a joint initiative of the Greek Ministry of Tourism, the Municipality of Santorini and Lidl Hellas.

The campaign aims to highlight Santorini as an island with a particular environmental consciousness, in addition to its timeless symbolism. It will unfold as an original, alternative tourism campaign, that at the same time will promote a global message of sustainable development for the island, and for the country as a whole.

The campaign will initially comprise promotional media displayed at different locations with high tourist traffic, such as airports, ports and ferries, as well as on the internet.

In a second phase, the campaign will support educational programs on the island, as well as interventions on beaches in collaboration with the Laskaridis Foundation which has developed initiatives to systematically and extensively protect shores all around Greece.

Lidl Hellas stands in support of the Greek government’s initiatives which bolster the country’s prospects for a better tomorrow.