Want to shave off almost £2,000 a year from the grocery bill? This should be no problem for folks in the United Kingdom who shop supermarket freezer aisles regularly and replace fresh food purchases with frozen fare.
That’s the finding of a recent study of 20 British families conducted by Manchester Metropolitan University on behalf of the Iceland supermarket chain. On average, it found that four-person households saved £37.62 per week by opting for frozen food. The calculation was made follow a two-week test in which families exclusively consumed frozens during one week and non-frozens during the other week.
In the bargain, the use of frozen components in meal preparation reduced food waste tremendously.
Many participants in the study were impressed with the quality of frozen ingredients, saying that their meals tasted as good or even better than meals made with so-called fresh components. Among the most popular items on the frozen menu were vegetables, fruits, mashed potatoes, french fries and pastries.
“The results of this independent study are really promising, with many newcomers to frozen particularly impressed by the huge waste reduction, range and quality of food available, as well as the cost, convenience and taste,” said Neil Nugent, Iceland’s head chef. “The families involved have said they will increase the amount of frozen food they use and cook with a mixture of fresh and frozen. Nutritionally they are the same, so this is a great direction to go in.”
The Deeside, Wales-headquartered Iceland Group, which operates 900 supermarket and warehouse outlets in the UK, has championed frozens since starting out as a frozen food specialist in 1970. The chain’s ongoing “Power of Frozen” campaign reminds shoppers that its offerings “deliver an extensive choice of high quality, great-tasting food from fine sources around the world at great value prices.”
The company has grown its total UK estate by 100 units in just over four years, creating more than 2,000 new jobs in the process. And it anticipates adding another 100 persons to the payroll within the next six months as store managers and area managers are now being recruited. An immediate need exists to hire over 40 managers in London, Essex, Hertfordshire, Hampshire, Birmingham, Warwickshire, Manchester, Cumbria, Dundee, Aberdeenshire and Belfast.
“At a time when so many other food retailers are restructuring and downsizing their store management teams, we want people to know that we have some great opportunities for career progression at Iceland,” said Ewan McMahon, operations director.
