Iceland reverts to plastic trays for mince following shopper backlash

Iceland Foods has discontinued its vacuum-sealed packaging for mince and returned to conventional plastic tray packaging across its beef and pork mince range.

The retailer initially introduced vacuum packaging in August 2024, following similar moves by Sainsbury’s, Aldi, Asda, and Lidl. The change aimed to extend shelf life by nearly 50% and reduce plastic use by approximately 35 tonnes per year. It was also expected to improve availability and lower carbon emissions by allowing more packs to be transported per truck.

However, following a mixed response from shoppers, particularly regarding the texture of the vacuum-packed mince, Iceland has now reversed the decision. Announcing the change on X, the retailer stated: “You asked, we delivered. The classic mince packaging is back!”

Iceland was the first major supermarket to extend vacuum packaging to pork mince, but six months after rollout, it has returned to plastic trays across its mince range.