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UK Supermarket Iceland Will Eliminate Plastic Packaging From All Own Branded Products

UK Supermarket Iceland Will Eliminate Plastic Packaging From All Own Branded Products

They're aiming to take advantage of new and upcoming technologies to get rid of plastic packaging by 2023

Stewart Perrie

Stewart Perrie

It seems to be an increasing sight when you do your daily, weekly or monthly shopping: food wrapped in layers and layers of plastic. Supermarkets have been copping flak in recent years for packaging fresh fruit and vegetables (and other products) in unnecessary plastic - but one UK retailer will become the first in the world to ensure this is a thing of the past.

Credit: Iceland Foods

Iceland wants to eliminate plastic packaging on all its own-branded products by 2023. Sure, that's a fair few years away, but at least they've made the commitment.

Given how much information is available about how harmful plastic can be to our environment and how much of it ends up dumped in the ocean, this is a really important step that other supermarkets may also prove keen to follow.

Iceland will first work to introduce paper-based trays for some food items, instead of the black plastic ones which are difficult to recycle.

PA

Iceland Managing Director Richard Walker said in a statement: "Making this change is going to cost money but we are determined that our customers will not have to foot the bill.

"Obviously we hope that more people will choose to shop at Iceland as a result of our decision, but we're not trying to steal a march on our competitors.

"We genuinely hope that they will follow our example - and soon - and we are happy to collaborate with them to make this a reality."

People on social media have been praising Iceland for being the first to take a step forward to environmental responsibility.

Mr Walker said countries around the world are still grappling with the news that China isn't going to be recycling the planet's waste any more.

The Asian powerhouse has been processing many other countries plastic waste for years, however it recently announced it will no longer be the world's dumping ground.

In 2016 alone, China processed more than seven tonnes of waste from places like the UK, USA and Japan. One of the reasons behind the change is the level of contaminated trash being sent over that couldn't be recycled, and subsequently has to be dumped like normal rubbish.

Pressure is now on those countries who export their waste to China to quickly find local solution to getting rid of their trash.

Thankfully, Iceland is helping to reduce the overwhelming amount of plastic dumped every day.

Sources: Iceland, Guardian

Featured Image Credit: PA

Topics: UK News, Awesome, Recycling