Iceland has rolled out vacuum-packed beef and pork mince products in a move aimed at increasing the shelf life of the meats.

The frozen food specialists said that for its beef mince range, the shelf life is expected to increase by almost 50%, to two and a half weeks.

The move is also understood to reduce the supermarket’s carbon footprint, as more items can be transported per vehicle, and lower Iceland’s plastic waste, with vacuum packing estimated to use 50% less plastic than traditional trays, saving 35 tonnes of plastic per year.

Originally undergoing a 12-week trial in 50 Iceland stores across the UK earlier this year, the new packaging will be introduced into more than 1,000 stores and online from August.

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Iceland Foods category buying manager for fresh meat and poultry Zach Nowell: “Our new vacuum-packaged beef mince means our customers are getting the same quality-assured beef mince they love, but with an even longer shelf life.

“We’re thrilled to also be leading the way as the first UK supermarket to roll out this packaging for pork mince. Now more than ever it’s important for families to get the best value for money when doing their weekly shopping, and our new packaging offers a wider selection of longer-lasting quality products.”

The packaging change follows similar moves made by rival retailers such as Asda, Aldi, Co-op, Lidl and Sainsbury’s who also rolled out vacuum beef mince packaging last year.

At the time, Sainsbury’s was forced to defend its decision following backlash from customers who claimed the new packaging made the meat turn to ‘mush’ when opened.