Consumers' climate-impact estimations of different food products

Shi, Jing; Visschers, Vivianne; Bumann, Noëmi; Siegrist, Michael

doi:10.1016/j.jclepro.2016.11.140

Cited by 59 publications

(45 citation statements)

References 45 publications

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“…Our findings suggest that participants struggled to identify effective rules for reducing their food-related carbon footprints (Clune et al 2017, Hartmann and Siegrist 2017, Shi et al 2018. That is, the vast majority was unable to generate the most effective rules recommended by existing life cycle analyses from climate and environmental sciences (table S4).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 94%

“…1.1. Perceptions of pre-selected rules for reducing food-related carbon footprints Several studies have asked participants to assess how much GHG emissions can be reduced by implementing specific rules that were pre-selected and presented by researchers (Lea and Worsley 2008, Tobler et al 2011, Hartmann and Siegrist 2017, Shi et al 2018. Participants tended to overestimate how much GHG emissions can be reduced by 'Buying organic', 'Buying local', 'Avoiding excessive packaging' or 'Avoiding high-food miles products'.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Participants tended to overestimate how much GHG emissions can be reduced by 'Buying organic', 'Buying local', 'Avoiding excessive packaging' or 'Avoiding high-food miles products'. They tended to underestimate the effectiveness of 'Replacing red with white meat with plant-based products' (Lea and Worsley 2008, Tobler et al 2011, Hartmann and Siegrist 2017, Shi et al 2018. Consumers may also be unsure which rules to implement (Truelove and Parks 2012), lack pro-environmental attitudes, or have little knowledge about climate change (Tobler et al 2011).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Public perceptions of how to reduce carbon footprints of consumer food choices

Kause

Bruin

Millward-Hopkins

et al. 2019

Environ. Res. Lett.

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Carbon footprints-the greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions associated with consumer food choicessubstantially contribute to climate change. Life cycle analyses from climate and environmental sciences have identified effective rules for reducing these food-related GHG emissions, including eating seasonal produce and replacing dairy and red meat with plant-based products. In a national UK survey, we studied how many and which rules our participants generated for reducing GHG emissions of produce, dairy, and protein-rich products. We also asked participants to estimate GHG emission reductions associated with pre-selected rules, expressed in either grams or percentages. We found that participants generated few and relatively less effective rules, including ambiguous ones like 'Buy local'. Furthermore, participants' numerical estimates of pre-selected rules were less accurate when they assessed GHG emission reductions in grams rather than in percentages. Findings suggest a need for communicating fewer rules in percentages, for informing consumers about reducing food-related GHG emissions.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 94%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Public perceptions of how to reduce carbon footprints of consumer food choices

Kause

Bruin

Millward-Hopkins

et al. 2019

Environ. Res. Lett.

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

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“…However, it would risk excluding many of the emissions from e.g. plantbased foods, such as packaging, processing and transportation, which might lead to less understanding and acceptance of a tax as these processes are often perceived by consumers to have great influence on the overall climate impact (Shi et al 2018). Thus, choosing to tax either up to farm gate or retail gate might gain more understanding and acceptance of a tax.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Determining the climate impact of food for use in a climate tax—design of a consistent and transparent model

Moberg

Andersson

Säll

et al. 2019

Int J Life Cycle Assess

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The aim of this study was to determine transparent food carbon footprint values for use in a climate tax, using a consistent methodology across the taxed food products and taking into account the need for such a tax to be administratively simple and accepted by affected stakeholders. Methods A method based on Life Cycle Assessment following the ISO 14067 standard was developed for establishing simplified, yet consistent and transparent, datasets on the carbon footprint of food, for use as a base in a climate tax on food. Several sensitivity analyses were carried out to test the effects of inevitable methodological choices on the carbon footprint of different foods. The choices were then discussed in relation to taxation of food. The methodological choices included in the sensitivity analyses were different approaches to system boundaries, how to account for soil carbon changes and how to weigh greenhouse gases (GHGs). Results and discussion The results on the carbon footprint of food calculated with the suggested method are in line with earlier findings in the field, with animal products, especially beef, showing a substantially higher value than most plant-based foods. Regarding choice of system boundaries for using the values in a tax, it is of particular importance to target emissions from biological processes, as these are currently untaxed. This would also be administratively simpler but less acceptable as large emission sources especially for imported products and greenhouse grown vegetables would not be included. Modelling emissions from soil carbon changes using a site-dependent method can be an advantage to obtain results in line with empirical data. Using Global Warming Potential over 100 years to weigh GHGs would be most in line with current climate reporting, which is an advantage for the consistency and acceptability of a tax. Conclusions Ultimately, how taxes are set is a political decision, but food carbon footprint values determined with a consistent and simplified methodology are required in the process. This study presents carbon footprint values established using such method and provides valuable insights into how methodological choices affect the results of climate impact values and the implications for taxation.

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“…Evidence based dietary guidelines, advice, and policy encourages people toward sustainable and healthy diets (Kause et al, 2009; Health Council of the Netherlands, 2011; Ministers NC, 2014;Reynolds et al, 2014;Monteiro et al, 2015;Fischer and Garnett, 2016;Freidberg, 2016;van't Veer et al, 2017;Poore and Nemecek, 2018;CCC, 2020). However, recent research suggests there is a food-knowledge disconnect between the food research community, and the general public, with the citizens typically underestimating the carbon footprint, misestimating portion sizes, and energy content of foods (Rolls et al, 2002;Choi and Pak, 2006;Carels et al, 2007;Steenhuis and Vermeer, 2009;Chernev and Chandon, 2010;Miyazaki et al, 2011;Lee et al, 2012;Holmstrup et al, 2013;Cohen and Story, 2014;Liu et al, 2015;Jones et al, 2016;Panzone et al, 2016, in press;Hartmann and Siegrist, 2017;Edelson et al, 2018;Shi et al, 2018;Camilleri et al, 2019;Kemper et al, 2019;Thomas and Kyung, 2019). The public are motivated to reduce the environmental impact of their diet with two thirds of surveyed EU consumers being open to changes in diet and 40% having already reduced or stopped red meat consumption.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%