Reaching consensus on measuring and reporting carbon footprint, reducing carbon emissions while maintaining or improving cost efficiencies, as well as dealing with legal imperatives to reduce emissions and understanding consumer attitudes to sustainability are just some of the challenges that the food and drinks industry must face if it is to meet future demand for carbon reduction effectively.
Features and benefits
Highlights
Given consumer, commercial, and legal imperatives for action on carbon emissions reduction, carbon footprinting will remain a permanent part of the food and drink landscape. What is less certain is whether carbon footprint reduction will drive consumer purchasing decisions, or whether reporting carbon footprint drives meaningful carbon reduction.
The term carbon footprint is ubiquitous in the public sphere but agreement on how to measure it is not clear: should it include indirect emissions or simply direct emissions? In many cases the ability to take the more comprehensive approach by including indirect emissions is limited by data quality and the ability to procure it from suppliers.
Overcoming the lack of consumer engagement and understanding of what carbon footprint measurement and reduction means in real terms is one of the first and most significant challenges that food and drinks manufacturers will have to overcome. Reaching a critical mass of carbon footprint labeling will be a key driver of this.
Your key questions answered