61% of consumers in the UK have a lack of trust in the claims top grocery companies make when it comes to declaring their carbon footprint, according to a new report released by Bord Bia’s (The Irish Food Board) Thinking House, titled ‘Consumer & Carbon ‘Cutting through the Carbon Jargon’.
Despite corporate moves towards achieving net zero, consumer confusion around carbon is rising. 53% of shoppers surveyed for the report stated that there are too many different messages relating to carbon footprint and emissions.
Furthermore, 59% of consumers have no awareness of what their carbon footprint should even be, and 51% claim to need help in lowering their carbon footprint, as they currently face a myriad of barriers when they attempt to be more carbon friendly. As a result, 73% of shoppers think that household brands should take on the responsibility for them and also that they need to be more transparent in relation to their carbon footprint.
Packaged consumer foods ranked the highest of the different food types contributing to carbon emissions at 42%.
The study found that confusion also remains around the terminology, and words such as ‘sustainability’, ‘environmental’, and ‘carbon positive’ have been left undefined. Added to this is a wide variety of competing industry benchmarks on packaging.
Bord Bia stated that there is substantial work to be done in terms of educating consumers around carbon. It said the report demonstrates a huge window of opportunity for businesses to cut through on carbon labelling to provide more clarity and reassurance as consumers will only start to understand its importance as they start to gain clarity on its impact.
Industry experts have expressed similar sentiments to consumers regarding the confusion around carbon labelling data. Focus groups consisting of industry practitioners revealed three main concerns: excessive use of averages and typical values, discrepancies in the sources of data providers, and ambiguous or inconsistent definitions.
With increasing pressure for food and drink companies to become more transparent across the entire value chain, the report details support from Bord Bia who have set out ‘The 6 C’s’ as guiding principles to help food and drink businesses and brands operating in the UK to communicate their carbon impact. These pointers include ‘credible proof points’, ‘clear transparent detail’, ‘comparative certification’, and ‘consistent messaging’.
Cian O’Mahony, Insight & Planning Specialist at Bord Bia, commented: “With the ongoing journey of many food and drink organisations towards net zero, carbon labelling and its understanding amongst consumers is a crucial area for brands and businesses.
“Within the UK, the industry is leading the way in this space, led by IGD and WRAP. However, for consumers, current communications around carbon labelling are causing confusion. There is an opportunity to cut through and solve the existing communications breakdown, as Bord Bia’s research identifies the most effective methods of improving consumer understanding of carbon. These insights present clear recommendations and guidance for brands and businesses to develop an effective form of carbon communication, which is key in today’s climate.”
