It is no secret that the world needs to eat greener, yet a recent survey revealed that only 3% of respondents believe that the environment is an important factor when choosing what to eat. Around a quarter (24%) of recipients stated they thought they could have no impact on their carbon footprint and, of those who said yes, only 12% thought that food could have the most impact on their carbon footprint. The survey findings highlight that as consumers were not prioritising the planet, and this is key to closing the ‘green gap’.
These staggering statistics have been gathered from a new survey by Kantar on behalf of healthy fast food company, Picadeli. The latest Vegocracy Report is an extensive, international survey examining the eating habits of seven countries (Belgium, Finland, France, Germany, Sweden, the UK and the US). The report tucks into why we are not eating greener, both for our health and the health of the planet too. What is clear from the data is that consumers do not understand how meal choices affect the rising temperature of the planet, nor is there information present at purchase for them to use to make better choices.
Positively, one in two people stated that clearer labelling of ‘carbon calories’ would encourage them to make more sustainable choices (53%). In the past year, the United Nations’ Paris Agreement has called on the global community to reduce carbon emissions worldwide and there is more to be done to support the food system shift. The report also unearthed a green gap both in knowledge and accessibility to eating sustainable food. In the UK, only 32% of respondents had heard of the Paris Agreement, but of those only 14% could identify the carbon emission goals for a meal. In terms of broader country knowledge, shockingly less than a third of Brits (32%) had heard of the Paris Agreement, and there is a vast disparity in knowledge across Europe and the USA:
Belgium: 54%.
Finland: 70%.
France: 59%.
Germany: 69%.
Sweden: 83%.
UK: 32%.
USA: 43%.
As a result of the findings, Picadeli has launched Climate Foodprint. A new, trademarked, carbon labelling system for its healthy and planet friendly takeaway food options, that is designed to help consumers make informed decisions about the climate impact of their meals. Based on a lifecycle assessment and science based method to make a field to fork estimate of the total climate impact of a product, the company has developed the Climate Foodprint label to encourage consumers towards conscious, sustainable food choices. Its salads already have a climate impact of nearly half an average European meal but it is almost impossible for consumers to make informed decisions without mandatory carbon labelling.
This labelling implementation is representative of Picadeli’s wider mission to close the green gap; a gap in knowledge, accessibility, understanding and impact around healthy and sustainable eating. One of the ways to close this gap is by having better labelling for both nutrition and carbon emissions in food.
CEO David von Laskowsk said, ‘At Picadeli, we have always been on a mission to democratise healthy food, making it easier to eat better for the health of people and the planet. For the 2023 Vegocracy Report, we wanted to ask – how much do we really know about eating green? Why are we not eating more sustainably? And how can we help break these barriers down? It is our hope that this year’s report can serve as a real point of inspiration throughout the food industry to demonstrate exactly why we can, and should, be doing more to support the food systems shift.’
The company will be introducing the new labelling systems this March 2023 in line with the launch of the 2023 Vegocracy Report. Rolling out across all European countries with Picadeli salad bars, you can find out more about the new Climate Foodprint labelling system here and read the full 2023 Vegocracy Report here.