Iceland becomes first supermarket in world to ban plastic packaging – as it goes to war on ‘scourge’ of the oceans
ICELAND has become the first major supermarket to completely ban plastic packaging.
The retailer wants to do away with all plastic for own-brand products within five years - with recycled paper and pulp containers taking its place.
It is the first major retailer globally to go "plastic-free" and comes days after Theresa May pledged to eliminate synthetic packaging altogether.
Iceland managing director, Richard Walker, said: "The world has woken up to the scourge of plastics.
"A truckload is entering our oceans every minute causing untold damage to our marine environment and ultimately humanity - since we all depend on the oceans for our survival.
"The onus is on retailers, as leading contributors to plastic packaging pollution and waste, to take a stand and deliver meaningful change."
Iceland has already removed plastic disposable straws from its own label range and new food ranges in paper packaging will hit the shelves in early 2018.
The move has been welcomed by environmental campaigners concerned about plastic in the world's oceans, where it can harm and kill wildlife such as turtles and seabirds.
Last week, Prime Minister Theresa May vowed to eliminate all avoidable plastic waste within 25 years as part of the Government's environmental strategy, with calls for supermarkets to introduce "plastic-free" aisles.
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A survey for Iceland revealed overwhelming public support for a shift away from plastic by retailers, with 80 per cent of 5,000 people polled saying they would endorse a supermarket's move to go plastic-free.
The shop has also pledged to make all packaging fully recyclable.
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Greenpeace UK executive director John Sauven, said: "Iceland has taken up that challenge with its bold pledge to go plastic free within five years.
"It's now up to other retailers and food producers to respond to that challenge."
Last month we revealed that 90 per cent of the plastic in our oceans comes from just TEN rivers.
Ben Fogle voiced his concern in an exclusive column for The Sun, calling for a change in the way we shop and consume food to reduce the amount of plastic.
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