LONDON: UK Supermarket chain becomes first in the world to remove plastic packaging from ALL its own-label products. Iceland’s landmark move puts pressure on its rivals to follow suit amid public demands to turn back the tide of plastic pollution.
The company, which has more than 900 stores, has a five-year plan to ditch plastic from all of its own-brand products.
Packaging on 1,400 products will be replaced, and the changes involve more than 250 suppliers. First to go will be plastic ready meal trays in favour of wood-pulp alternatives made in Britain. Plastic bags used for frozen vegetables and other food will then be dropped in favour of paper alternatives.
Iceland, which has already removed plastic disposable straws from its own range, is also working on alternatives for plastic bottles and milk cartons. Last week Theresa May set a 25-year deadline to banish ‘avoidable’ plastic and called on supermarkets to introduce plastic-free aisles.
Iceland managing director Richard Walker said: “The world has woken up to the scourge of plastics. The switch from plastic will cost Iceland money, but it pledged there will be no corresponding rise in prices.”
The company’s move comes amid mounting concern about the impact of plastic packaging on the environment, and follows news that China will no longer take British waste plastic for recycling, meaning big business will have to clean up its own mess.
