Iceland Announces New Ranges as Part of Plastics-Free Pledge

Following its landmark announcement that it is committing to become the first major retailer globally to eliminate plastic packaging from all of its own brand products by the end of 2023, Iceland – the UK’s leading frozen food specialist – has revealed that the first ranges to be rolled out as part of the initiative will save a total of 150 tonnes of plastic every year.

The two new own-brand ranges – Mumbai Street Co and Hungry Heroes – provide shoppers with great value, quality food, inside environmentally-friendly packaging.

Iceland has used the latest technologies to create packaging for the new ranges comprising paper based trays which are recyclable through domestic waste collection or in-store recycling facilities, and therefore less harmful to the environment.

Iceland Managing Director, Richard Walker, a passionate advocate of environmental awareness and sustainability, is driving the initiative to demonstrate the potential for the entire supermarket retail sector to go plastic-free as far as possible.

Richard Walker said: “We’ve been working on our plastic-free pledge for the last 18 months and wanted to quickly demonstrate our commitment to it. The launch of these latest ranges in new recyclable board trays is just the start of Iceland’s journey to becoming plastics-free.

“The ranges have been carefully developed so that shoppers can now enjoy fantastic quality food at great prices, without future generations having to pay for their dinner.”

The launch marks a landmark partnership with Alder Hey Children’s Charity with five pence from every pack of Hungry Heroes (£1.59 – £2.00) going to the cause. The nutritionally-balanced children’s meals include convenient versions of dishes which families like to cook from scratch at home, and were developed in collaboration with Channel Mum.

The range goes against the current trend of hiding vegetables, instead they are ‘heroes’ in the dishes and completely visible.

With absolutely no added sugar, additives or preservatives, the range is unlike any other on the market with each tasty dish freshly frozen to lock-in goodness and provide at least one of kids’ five-a-day.

Iceland Head Chef, Neil Nugent, who developed the new ranges, said: “These are two of our biggest own-brand launches to date and are a culmination of a year of research and development.

“Hungry Heroes has been developed with kids’ favourite dishes in mind and we are delighted that it will also benefit the Alder Hey Children’s Charity. Mumbai Street Co was informed directly by Britain’s changing eating habits and we are the first retailer to launch an Indian street food range. This is high quality, well-researched food, all wrapped in sustainable packaging.”

Despite the rising interested in street food, 64 per cent of people don’t have the confidence to cook it from scratch at home. Iceland is confident that the Mumbai Street Co dishes (£1.50 or 4 for £5); provide the solution, with 16 and easy to cook fusion Indian street food ‘small plates’ at a fraction of the cost of a similar dining out experience. The range includes a selection of fusion dishes that reflect the melting pot of flavours found on the streets of Mumbai including Goan Pulled Pork and Keema Hotpot.

The plastic elimination initiative was developed in consultation with Greenpeace. Following Iceland’s pledge, 200 MPs from seven different political parties have written to the Chief Executives of the UK major supermarket chains urging them to eliminate plastic packaging from their products by 2023.