Iceland has pulled a u-turn and has promised to go back to a 'classic' look instead.

By Alex Evans, Deputy Audience Editor

14:39, Thu, Jan 30, 2025 | UPDATED: 14:41, Thu, Jan 30, 2025

outside an iceland supermarket

Iceland has pulled a U-turn over the change (Image: Getty)

Frozen food giant Iceland has announced a huge change in stores after customer complaints.

Iceland has revealed that it has reversed a decision to introduce plastic-saving vacuum packaging on its fresh beef steak mince sold in-store.

The retailer announced in August that it had switched to vacuum packs in order to save 35 tonnes of plastic per year, because vacuum-packed mince takes up less space once the air is removed, reducing the amount of plastic needed.

Iceland followed the likes of Sainsbury’s, Asda, Lidl and Aldi which had already swapped to vacuum packaging.

However, Iceland has now announced it’s pulling a U-turn, apparently following requests from customers, and will now revert back to the ‘classic’ packaging.

Iceland said: “You asked, we delivered. The classic mince packaging is back!”

Iceland’s followers largely welcomed the news.

@doctorwhoSF said: “Thank you. That previous packaging made the product look unappealing and horrible. The classic OG packaging is the way”.

@sdfpk said: “Not sure I’d refer to the packaging as classic, but I suppose rigid plastic packaging doesn’t have the same ring to it looool.”

The retailer had rolled out the packs in more than 1,000 stores following a 12-week trial in 50 stores.

Complaints had surfaced on social media about vacuum-packed mince from various retailers in the past year.

Posting on Reddit, u/goosepond01 said: “Vacuum-packed mince is a nightmare. I know this isn't the first complaint post on here but I'm genuinely trying to figure out how the **** you cook this.

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“I've tried to make chillis and spag bol using it and it's been an absolute disaster

“I've tried cooking in it a block and seperating when it's cooked a bit, it ends up giving you large mushy chunks that you have to chop up in to smaller mushy chunks and tiny chunks that are akin to a thick soup with bits.

"I've tried gently pulling it apart and it's the same as above.

I've tried really giving it a good cutting and it's the same mushy ****.

For anyone who still buys vacuum-packed mince, u/hostalavistababy added: “I have developed a method of cooking it I like to call the ''shiatsu massage". Basically I get two wooden spatulas, one in each hand and after I put the disgusting meat cuboid into the pan I furiously chop it with both spatulas like I'm having some sort of mental health crisis. That usually does the job.”