Iceland calls on all suppliers for support in achieving plastics pledge

Iceland has written to all of its suppliers, including some of the UK’s biggest brands, to secure their support in delivering its industry-leading plastics commitment.

In January 2018, Iceland committed to eliminate plastic packaging from its own label products by the end of 2023, and has now sent two separate letters, signed by Joint Managing Directors, Richard Walker and Nigel Broadhurst, to more than 400 suppliers.

The letter sent to branded suppliers, whose ranges are not included in Iceland’s pledge, outlined the retailer’s progress to date and suggested further collaboration and shared learnings on plastic reduction.

A letter sent to own label suppliers updates them on Iceland’s progress and asks for their continued support in the retailer’s journey towards becoming plastic free across its own label product range. Iceland is already working closely with its 100+ own label suppliers on the pledge, through regular working groups, category-specific action plans and regular site visits to facilitate testing and implementation where appropriate.

Included as part of both letters is an outline of Iceland’s newly-launched Plastic Free Packaging Manifesto: a ten point plan outlining how the retailer will work in partnership with its suppliers to turn down the tap on global plastic production.

Managing Director Richard Walker said: “We have been working in close partnership with our suppliers since making the commitment, and see their support as crucial in expediting our plastics removal project. We are proud of the positive relationships we have with our suppliers, and the response so far has been particularly reassuring and reflective of the mutual support between our businesses.

“Although our commitment only affects our own label products, we also wanted to write to our branded suppliers to encourage them to join us in working to reduce plastic production, and offer to share our learnings so far.”

Richard added: “We believe that collaboration across the industry is the key to tackling the scourge of plastic and would welcome any business to join us in our mission to turn down the tap on this pervasive material.”

Helen Nickells, Head of Packaging at Young’s Seafood, outlined support for the action taken: “Young’s Seafood continue to work closely with Iceland to turn down the tap on plastic packaging production. Iceland have approached their supply base with a spirit of collaboration that is helping us to meet Iceland’s own objective to remove plastic by 2023 and helping Young’s to reduce single use plastics, completely remove black plastic and make the plastics we do use easily recyclable.”

Read more about our #TooCoolForPlastic journey here.