Iceland has marked its 50th anniversary by making a documentary charting the rise of the frozen food business from its first store in Oswestry.

The 55-minute YouTube video sees Iceland “dip into the archive and piece together the history” of the business, founder and executive chairman Malcolm Walker explains at the beginning.

Walker talks through landmark events, from the transition from selling loose to packaged frozen food in the seventies to his buyout of the business in 2020.

It’s been a “year like no other, with the impact of coronavirus”, he said. “But in June this year we finally got Iceland back into family ownership.”

On Iceland’s efforts to remove plastic from own-label packaging by the end of 2023, MD Richard Walker says: “Over the last two years we’ve reduced our plastic footprint by almost 30% and we’re actually on track to reduce it next year by another 20%, so we’ll have halved our plastic footprint.

“We’re well on track and determined to get to plastic-free.”

Iceland has also been marking its anniversary on Twitter, with a 30-second version of the film, and a series of tweets about its “50th birthday party”.

One said: “Hey @Coopuk – just wanted to let you know that you were top of the list for our birthday invites (cough cough @AldiUK) Shame about the lockdown #PartyForOne #LockdownBirthday.”

Meanwhile Iceland stores have been sent birthday cakes:

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