Iceland Foods sustainability score: 42/100
Iceland Foods is a frozen food specialist retailer founded in 1970, headquartered in Deeside, UK. Operating over 900 stores across the UK and online, it sells primarily frozen, chilled, and ambient foods including own-label products.
More about Iceland Foods
It is privately owned by the Walker family and is a significant player in the UK discount grocery segment.
Founded 1970Head office Deeside, United KingdomStaff ~26,830Revenue ~£4.11BWebsite ↗
Iceland Foods has cut operational carbon 40% since 2011 but remains the UK's most carbon-intensive supermarket by intensity. Scope 3 emissions—over 95% of total footprint—are unquantified. The company abandoned plastic and palm oil pledges in 2022 while continuing to market them, drawing NGO criticism for greenwashing.
Iceland Foods scores 42/100 (Below expectations) on SINK's independent climate assessment, scored from public data only. Scores are free. Companies can never pay for anything about their own score. Last verified May 2026.
That places Iceland Foods joint 357th of 934 companies scored, and joint 17th of 50 in Retail (non-fashion).
What is Iceland Foods doing well, and where does it fall short?
Strongest on Carbon Footprint: Operations and Emissions Trajectory (6/10, 5/10). Weakest on Carbon Footprint: Supply Chain and Water Impact (3/10, 3/10).
Where Iceland Foods lost points
For each question that lost points, the evidence our public rubric looks for that we didn't find.
- Emissions from its own operations6/10Its own emissions aren't independently verified or tracked over several years.
- Emissions from its supply chain3/10No assessment of where its supply-chain emissions come from.
- Whether its emissions are falling5/10No evidence of a year-on-year fall in its total emissions.
- How clean its energy is5/10Less than half its energy shown to be renewable, or no transition plan.
- Its effect on nature4/10Its effect on nature isn't measured or independently verified.
- How it uses materials and handles waste4/10No measurable waste or recycling targets reported publicly.
- Its effect on water3/10No monitoring of water use, or no measures to reduce it.
- Its climate targets4/10Its targets aren't science-based or committed to the Science Based Targets initiative.
- How openly it reports4/10No dedicated sustainability role, board oversight or public report.
- Its record on controversies5/10Points deducted for controversies or its business model. The finding is under question 10.
A score changes when the evidence does. We use new published evidence at the next rescore. Anyone can send us new evidence, free. How to send it.
How is Iceland Foods's SINK score calculated?
Same ten questions for every company. No private weighting.
SINK = (0.3 × Base + 0.7 × Performance) × ScaleWhat evidence is Iceland Foods's score based on?
11 sources used in this assessment. All publicly available. Each row shows which of the ten questions it informed.
45% of them were published by Iceland Foods itself; the rest come from independent sources.
If you believe a source has been misread or a newer version exists, submit a challenge.
Is this your company? Claim this profile (free)
Use this score in tenders
Send the link, or the one-page score sheet. It links back to this page and every source. Free.
Open the score sheet →Send new evidence, free
Scored low because little is published? Publish what you do and send us the link, free. If it holds up, your score changes, and the change is logged on your page.
How to send evidence →Put your score on your website, free
It shows the current score and links to this page, so it changes when the score does.
Track this score
Bidding for a public contract? Check if you need a Carbon Reduction Plan, free →
Want your own page like this?
Free, independent, every source shown. Send it to any buyer who asks about your sustainability.
How does Iceland Foods compare with other retail (non-fashion) companies?
Where Iceland Foods sits among retail (non-fashion) peers.
Among the 50 major retail (non-fashion) brands we've scored, Iceland Foods is tied =17th of 50, with 3 others.
Who scores higher in Retail (non-fashion)?
The 3 companies in the sector scoring nearest above Iceland Foods.
Sainsbury's has cut operational emissions 53% since 2018 and achieved 100% renewable electricity, but Scope 3 emissions—98% of total—are flat.
See the breakdown →Kingfisher has reduced operational emissions 66% since 2016/17 and sourced 95% of electricity from zero-carbon sources, but Scope 3 coverage remains partial—only 2 of 15 categories disclosed.
See the breakdown →Currys reports KPMG-assured Scope 1 and 2 emissions, flat year on year and 35% below 2019/20, and a full Scope 3 inventory: total emissions rose 4% to 9.17 Mt as purchased-goods emissions grew, and Scope 3 is over 99% of the footprint.
See the breakdown →Which companies moved this week, and why.
One email, every Sunday. Score changes, new research, the stories behind the numbers. Free.
We'll send one email to confirm. No spam. Unsubscribe in one click.
Checking a company?
Search free →Asked to prove you're sustainable?
Get your business scored, free →Been scored?
Find your page and claim it, free →Scores are free. Companies can never pay for anything about their own score.