The new labels will provide carbon emissions data on a “farm to shop” basis and will be rolled out across 60% of the company’s products, by volume, this year. In the interim as new packaging is introduced, Quorn Foods is publishing carbon footprint information on 30 of its products on its website.
In order to ensure the accuracy of the data, Quorn Foods is ascertaining third-party verification from the Carbon Trust. Quorn and The Carbon Trust have been collaborating for several years to research the climate benefits of Mycoprotein compared to beef and, more recently, Quorn became the first major food manufacturer to sign the Carbon Trust’s Climate Leadership Framework. The Framework is designed to help businesses develop a roadmap for reaching net-zero emissions in line with, or, where possible, ahead of, legal deadlines.
Quorn Foods said in a statement that it hopes its decision to introduce carbon footprint labelling without a legal requirement to do so will encourage other brands to follow suit, so that consumers can make better comparisons of the environmental impact of their products.
“This is about giving people the information needed to make informed decisions about the food they eat and the effect it has on our planet’s climate – in the same way that nutrition information is clearly labelled to help inform decisions on health – and we’re asking other brands to get on board with us,” a Quorn Foods spokesperson said.