Iceland is to include energy-saving cooking guidance on food packaging as part of an initiative to help consumers cope with the soaring cost of living. 

Iceland store sign

Iceland has added advice to packaging that will help consumers reduce energy use when cooking

The initiative – said to be a UK first – is part of a wider campaign Iceland is running with Utilita Energy, designed to promote energy-efficient cooking as energy bills hit disposable income.

The Shop Smart, Cook Savvy partnership will formally start at the beginning of September. Utilita research has shown that “households reliant on oven cooking could save up to £604 per year by switching to more energy-efficient cooking methods”, such as air fryers, microwaves and slow cookers.

Iceland managing director Richard Walker said: “The cost-of-living crisis continues to be the biggest national issue facing consumers and as a private, family-run business, we’re constantly looking at both short and long-term initiatives that can offer any support.

Iceland and Utilita Partnership_Lifestyle

Utilita and Iceland are official Help for Household partners

“Our Shop Smart, Cook Savvy collaboration is so important, as it shines a light on the relationship between what we buy and how much energy we use cooking it, helping to empower our customers and provide them with access to information that can help stretch their budgets further.”

The campaign was welcomed by the government’s cost-of-living tsar, former Just Eat boss David Buttress. He said: “This is the type of consumer awareness campaign that will stick in our minds, because it’s enabling every household to rethink the way we cook, which hasn’t been done before.

“We are delighted to list Utilita and Iceland as official Help for Household partners for their efforts in enabling and assisting consumers to make impactful savings that will make a big difference, while reducing carbon emissions. I am hopeful that other supermarkets will follow suit to help their consumers identify the cheapest way to cook.”