Iceland is one of the first supermarkets to introduce a new labelling system that tells consumers which products have no hidden plastic packaging on them. The new plastic-free ‘trust mark’ was introduced earlier this week and will be prominently displayed on food and drink packaging that does not contain any plastic.
The new initiative was introduced to allow consumers to choose greener alternatives. Iceland and Dutch supermarket Ekoplaza have started using the new labelling system, along with tea bag manufacturer Teapigs, but it hoped that other organisations will follow suit.
Sian Sutherland, co-founder of A Plastic Planet, the campaign group behind the scheme told the press, “Our trust mark cuts through the confusion of symbols and labels and tells you just one thing; this packaging is plastic-free and therefore guilt-free,”
She added, “Finally shoppers can be part of the solution not the problem,”
Over recent years there has been a growing concern about the impact that plastic has on the oceans and environment, and plastic pollution is now so bad that it has been discovered in tap water, fish and even sea salt. It is not known what the impact of this plastic residue has on humans, but it is causing havoc for marine life and wildlife.
Iceland will be intruding the ‘trust mark’ labelling system on their relevant own-label products from May onwards and has pledged that its whole range will be free of single-use plastic by 2023.
Iceland’s managing director, Richard Walker, said: “With the grocery retail sector accounting for more than 40% of plastic packaging in the UK, it’s high time that Britain’s supermarkets came together to take a lead on this issue.
“I’m proud to lead a supermarket that is working with A Plastic Planet to realise a plastic-free future for food and drink retail.”