Iceland managing director Richard Walker has called on businesses to step up to do all they can for customers amid cost-of-living concerns.  

Richard Walker in his role as managing director at supermarket chain Iceland, which launched in Oswestry in the 1970s, has introduced some innovative changes in relation to sustainability however his major concern for the moment is the cost of living.  

He said: “It’s very serious as some of our customers who might have only had £25 per week to spend on food were struggling before the cost-of-living crisis, so now I really do worry how they will get through this.” 

Mr Walker, who lives in the North-West with his wife and children, took over from his father as Managing Director of Iceland Food Groups in 2018 following three years in the role for Iceland’s sister company The Food Warehouse.  

The company has implemented several schemes to ease the strain on families including a 10 per cent discount for those over 60’s on Tuesdays. 

According to Mr Walker, the scheme has been “massively successful” and nearly 800,000 customers have redeemed it so far.  

The supermarket chain has also increased staff discount and has introduced an online deal which allows customers to purchase certain essential items for 1p and free delivery for orders over £40. 

The supermarket has noticed a trend of customers moving away from the more luxury categories and an increase in those focusing on the value ranges.  

Mr Walker told the Leader that he has heard stories of “customers telling the cashier to stop when it hits £40”. 

Iceland was founded by Richard’s parents in 1973 beginning with just one small store selling loose frozen food in Oswestry.  

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Mr Walker now oversees almost 1,000 stores, over 25,000 staff and 5 million customers per week with the Iceland Head Office located in Deeside.  

Iceland has made assurances to maintain certain low-price points, which “will cost the company millions”, for example freezing the price of the £1 frozen value foods until the end of 2022.  

He said: “We can really step up now even if it means foregoing profit in the short term as being there for our colleagues for our customers is just so important."

He added: "The cost price to us is going up and up but we are not going to pass that on to the consumer because that £1 price point is so important.” 

The 41-year-old says being a family run company allows Iceland to be “agile[…] perhaps more than other big companies that may have an expectation around profit and outside shareholders”. 

However, he is calling for the business community to step up and “do whatever they can and whatever their business models allow them to do within the confides of the structure they operate in. 

“It really is a time for business to step up and do more, but also for business to work with government to help form good policies and help policies that are already in place. 

“To advocate and push as far as they can to help customers as it really is very serious.” 

Mr Walker predicts “it’s going to get worse before it gets better” as the full effects of the rise of energy bills will not be felt until the colder months. 

In a recent survey by the Office for National Statistics, nearly nine in ten people said that their cost of living had increased and almost half were spending less on food and cutting back on non-essential travel.  

READ MORE: Thousands of households in Flintshire and Wrexham to get cost of living support payment

According to gov.uk the government has spent over £37 billion on support for the cost of living targeted particularly on those individuals in need.  

Mr Walker told the Leader that: “Now it needs to be stepped up even further […] they have done a lot for consumers, but perhaps more help is needed for businesses.” 

He believes that the “burden of business rates” is taking a large toll on in person stores and that the system is in need of a “whole systematic reform”. 

The Iceland boss feels the current business rate system is leading to the decline in the high street and contributing to the amount of empty shops littering town centres.

READ MORE: Number of pubs in England and Wales hits record low 

He said: “High streets are important as they are the fabric of the community”.  

Mr Walker commented that aid such as a reduction in fuel V.A.T or help with heating and energy bills could have a knock on consequence in supply chains and businesses could pass the savings on to consumers. 

He said: "To bring that down would help businesses and ultimately help consumers as well."