Iceland has partnered with sustainable packaging specialist Parkside to create one of the world’s first recyclable paper packaging solutions for frozen food.
Designed to package the frozen food retailer‘s Northcoast seafood range, the new paper pouches – which resist grease and oil – will replace the products former Low-Density Polyethylene (LDPE) plastic bags.
Made to withstand frost and moisture when stored within a freezer, the collaboration’s development uses heat sealability and a range of water-based coatings which will break down when re-pulped and recycled.
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“As everyone knows, we are loud and proud about our forward-thinking ideas and commitment to plastic-free packaging across our products,” Iceland packaging specialist, Mark Armstrong said.
“We previously worked with Parkside in a successful bid to reduce food waste via a lidding film solution in 2017. But we know we can do more. As consumer sentiment continues to grow for circular solutions, it is the perfect time to collaborate once again in a bid to reduce unnecessary plastic in our packaging.”
Parkside sales account manager, Mark Shaw explained that achieving a high level of grease and oil resistance for frozen food has been “extremely challenging”.
“Typically, a plastic layer such as Polyethylene would need to be extruded or laminated to the paper, which would then need to be removed when recycling post-consumer use,” he said, adding that the new technology removes the need for plastic and gives a “truly recyclable paper solution”.
This news comes as Iceland’s managing director, Richard Walker, said in July that the retailer will not achieve its goal of becoming the first UK supermarket to be ‘plastic neutral’ in 2022.
Having committed to this target at COP26 last year – and following an announcement in 2018 that its own-label packaging would be plastic-free by 2023 – the supermarket has now put a stop to its plans, claiming they are currently “impossible” to achieve.
