Iceland’s plastic-free plan is likely to be derailed

Iceland’s bid to be plastic-free by the end of the year is likely to be derailed due to the war in Ukraine and the pandemic.

The frozen food retailer’s supply chain is in ‘survival mode’, halting the progress of removing all plastic from the brand’s own packaging.

“You walk into an Iceland store and it’s still a sea of plastic,” Iceland managing director Richard Walker said to The Times.

Despite the setback, Walker has credited Iceland’s initiatives for influencing a wider agenda, claiming its rivals have followed suit and were focused on reducing plastic.

Iceland changed the packaging of 100 million ready meals it sells a year from single-use, non-recyclable black trays to a wood pulp alternative. The move has saved 850 tonnes of plastic waste so far.