Distance that food travels to UK a growing concern
Decreasing the miles that food travels from source to plate is increasingly viewed by retailers as a major issue where they could take the lead and avoid possible legislation, according to a new report on food miles*.
With food transport estimated in 2002 at 33 billion vehicle-kilometres, and accounting for 1.8% of the total UK Carbon Dioxide (CO2) emissions, firms face pressure from the government as it commits itself to a strategy of sustainable development with reducing food miles as a priority area for action.
The target of reducing the UK level of environmental and social costs by around 20% by 2012, highlighted in white papers and draft reports, will require considerable effort and participation from the industry, says the report, The Food Miles Challenge – How Consumers and Retailers in the UK are Responding, published by ReportBuyer.com.
As NGOs actively campaign and influence public opinion on food issues, UK food companies could see food miles reduction as an opportunity and not a threat, says the report. By embracing the idea of reducing the overall carbon emissions from manufacturing, distributing and retailing foods there is an opportunity to build a reputation and brand as a company that takes its commitment to sustainability and the environment seriously.
With the increase in consumer awareness of what they eat, food retailers must be prepared to face this issue of growing importance and act proactively to avoid being hit with future government legislation.
said Emma Conroy, the report’s author.
The scope for increased future profits exists in the medium term for companies who commit seriously to alleviating the environmental footprint of their products.
she added.
The Food Miles Challenge – How Consumers and Retailers in the UK are Responding is a critical review of the debate concerning food miles and the response by retailers. The report is one of a series of industry short reports available as free downloads from new online business information provider, www.ReportBuyer.com which launches on Wednesday 17 January, 2007.
* ‘Food miles’ is the term used to quantify the distance food travels from source to consumption, and also factors in the removal of waste products including packaging.
Note to Editors:
ReportBuyer.com launched in January 2007 offers books and reports covering the Automotive industry plus Banking & Finance, Computing & Electronics, Energy & Utilities, Food & Drink, Telecoms and Pharma & Healthcare.ReportBuyer.com is part of Piribo Ltd, a UK-based private company, established in September 2004, with Piribo.com, an online retailer of business information for the pharmaceutical and biotechnologysectors. The piribo.com website is the UK’s largest online biopharma information store, now carryingover 6,000 English language titles including, market reports, studies and books, currently sourced from over 60 publishers.
