Iceland is taking a significant step in addressing food waste by expanding its ‘mystery bag’ scheme.
- Initially piloted in September, the scheme will now include more Iceland stores by the end of October.
- The initiative involves selling £2 mystery bags of groceries nearing their ‘use-by’ date, valued at £10.
- The project is part of Iceland’s wider efforts with food redistributor Olio to curb food waste.
- Leading UK grocers, including Iceland, advocate for government-mandated food waste reporting.
In an effort to curb food waste, Iceland is expanding its ‘mystery bag’ initiative, initially launched in September. What began as a trial in four Iceland stores and one Food Warehouse store will now extend to an additional five shops by the end of October. This expansion of the scheme aims to make surplus food more accessible while reducing the number of edible items discarded due to expiry concerns.
Each ‘mystery bag’, priced at £2, offers customers the chance to receive groceries worth £10 that are approaching their ‘use-by’ date. The packing of these bags is managed by Iceland’s shopfloor staff, and they are made available for collection via the Olio app. This collaboration between Iceland and Olio represents an innovative step towards tackling food waste, reflecting a commitment to sustainability and resource efficiency.
The move to broaden this initiative coincides with a broader industry push involving 30 leading UK grocers and brands, such as Tesco, Sainsbury’s, Aldi, Innocent Drinks, Nestlé, and Princes, who have collectively called for the government to enforce mandatory reporting of food waste. This collective action underscores the urgency and importance of addressing food waste at the national level.
Iceland’s expansion of the ‘mystery bag’ scheme is a proactive measure in the collective effort to address food waste across the UK.
