UK retailer Iceland has announced that it will be trialling plastic-free fresh produce in efforts to reduce the amount of plastic pollution, with the aim to remove plastic from its own-label items by 2023.
The first trial will take place at their store food warehouse in north Liverpool, one of the retailer’s largest stores in the country. The retailer will be taking customer feedback during the trial to share with the government on what to do going forward in efforts to reduce plastic consumption.
Plastic-free produce will be cheaper than items covered in plastic, with staff being trained to help customers with the new weighing stations.
Loose fruit and vegetables will have paper bags, cellulose and cotton nets, compostable punnets and plant-based, reusable elastic bands on bundles of items such as spring onions and celery.
Iceland have made headlines in the past year for their pledge to remove palm oil from their own brand products, and have introduced a plastic-free label on many of their items. In light of the new trial, Iceland will also be introducing the #TooCoolForPlastic campaign.
Speaking in the video, managing director Richard Walker shares some of their findings on public opinion and what supermarkets should be doing to tackle the problem of plastic.
Walker says: “We all have a part to play in tackling the issue and Iceland is constantly looking for ways to reduce its own plastic footprint, as we work towards our commitment.
“We are looking forward to seeing how our customers respond to the trial and taking forward learning to inform the rest of our journey.”
The British public believe that supermarkets need to be doing more to eradicate single-use plastic and Iceland will be the first supermarket in the country to make its own-brand products plastic-free.