UK-based frozen food retailer Iceland Foods has introduced two new ready meal products in renewable packaging, as part of its effort to reduce the use of plastic for packaging.
The company has packaged its new ready meal products in Stora Enso’ Trayforma paperboard trays instead of ready meal trays made from black plastic.
For Iceland Foods, Trayforma paperboard trays are manufactured by Southern Cross Packaging, which offers advanced packaging solutions for retailers.
At present, black plastic is not recycled and is one of the harmful plastics entering food stream from the oceans.
Iceland Foods is also planning to use non-plastic packaging for products in chilled, produce and grocery areas, in addition to frozen food.
In January this year, Iceland Foods unveiled plans to eliminate plastic packaging from all of its own brand products within next five years.
The move follows a recent decision made by the UK Prime Minister Theresa May to eradicate all avoidable plastic waste in the country within next 25 years.
Iceland, which has already removed plastic disposable straws from its own label range, is planning to replace its plastic packaging with a range of fully recyclable packaging comprising paper and pulp trays along with paper bags.
Iceland Foods own label and packaging manager Ian Schofield said: "We are moving away from plastic. We have now launched our new Mumbai Indian street food range in paperboard trays, which are fit for purpose and sustainable in every way.
“Sustainable forestry and an environmentally sound production process, largely run by bioenergy, make paperboard a sustainable choice, and it is also recyclable in the paper stream when rinsed well.”
Southern Cross Packaging sales manager Karin Edwards said: “We have invested over GBP 500 000 in new tooling and production lines in the past four months to be ready to support retailers such as Iceland Foods with the move to more sustainable and widely recyclable packaging.”
Image: Iceland Foods has used renewable packaging for two new ready meal products. Photo: courtesy of STORA ENSO.
