ICAโ Kvantum Nรคssjรถโค Pulls “Naked” cucumbersโข After customerโ Backlash
NรSSJร, SWEDEN – An ICA Kvantum store in Nรคssjรถ, southern Sweden, has removed from its shelves a trial run of cucumbers sold without plastic packaging, following negative โฃcustomer feedback. The โcucumbers were coated with a protective layer of canola andโค oat โoil instead of plastic wrap,an initiative intended to reduce plastic waste.
The experiment, conducted in select ICA stores across southern and western Sweden during โweeks 40-44 (Octoberโค and November), aimed toโ offer a more enduring alternative to traditionally packagedโ cucumbers. โขHowever, customers expressed concerns about the oil coating,โค leading โฃto its discontinuation at the Nรคssjรถ location.
“I think people are perhapsโค a little โคafraid toโ try new things. It’s a bit โขstrange with oils and such on cucumber,” William โขLundin, the store’sโค vegetable manager, toldโ Swedish radio. Social media users also voiced โcriticism, specifically regarding โขthe use of hardened oilโค asโฃ a protective measure.
Despite the negative reaction, researcher Fredrik Rosqvist at Uppsalaโค University argues the criticism isโข unfounded. “Unfortunately, there isโค anโ unwarranted fear and rapeseed oil has unfortunately fallen into bad weather, ifโ we do say so,” โฃRosqvist told the channel.
It remains unclear โฃwhetherโข the same level of dissatisfaction was experienced at other participating ICA โขstores. โขThe initiative was part of โa broader โคeffort โคto explore plastic-reduction strategies inโ theโ retail sector.
