‘Food miles’—the distance food travels from production to plate—have long been used as a shorthand for sustainability. The logic seems simple: the further food travels, the higher its carbon footprint. But is that really true?
Not quite. While transportation emissions do contribute to a food product’s total carbon footprint, they typically make up a surprisingly small fraction of it. In fact, transport accounts for only about 6% of total food emissions on average. The real climate impact comes from how food is produced, not how far it travels.
The Full Carbon Footprint: A More Accurate Picture
To make truly sustainable food choices, businesses need to look at the full carbon footprint—the total greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions across a product’s entire lifecycle. This includes:
• Agricultural production: Farming practices, fertilizer use, and livestock emissions contribute the most to food’s total carbon footprint.
• Land use change: Deforestation for agriculture releases massive amounts of carbon.
• Processing and packaging: Energy-intensive production and packaging materials add to emissions.
• Transport and distribution: While a factor, this is usually much smaller than other emission sources.
• Cooking and waste: Food that is cooked inefficiently or wasted leads to unnecessary emissions.
Take beef, for example. Its transport emissions are negligible compared to the land-use change and methane emissions from cattle farming, which make it one of the highest-emitting foods overall. On the other hand, imported plant-based foods often have a lower carbon footprint than locally sourced meat and dairy. A kilogram of beans shipped halfway around the world still have a lower footprint than local beef.
Why Prioritizing the Full Carbon Footprint Matters
If your business is serious about sustainability, fixating on food miles can be misleading. A holistic approach—one that focuses on the highest-impact areas—is far more effective. Here’s why:
1. Greater impact, faster results
Addressing production-related emissions has a much bigger payoff than simply reducing transport distances. Switching from high-emission ingredients (like beef) to low-emission alternatives (like legumes) is one of the fastest ways to cut food-related emissions.
2. Avoiding ‘local-washing’
Just because food is local doesn’t mean it’s low-carbon. A greenhouse-grown tomato in the Netherlands can have a higher footprint than an imported, field-grown tomato from Spain due to energy-intensive heating.
3. Better decision-making
By considering the full carbon footprint, businesses can set science-based targets and make meaningful reductions rather than just shifting emissions elsewhere.
How to Measure and Reduce Your Full Carbon Footprint
To make informed decisions, food businesses need reliable data. This is where carbon footprint measurement tools (like Klimato) come in. With a science-based approach, you can:
- Identify the most carbon-intensive parts of your supply chain.
- Choose lower-carbon ingredients without compromising on quality.
- Make sustainability a selling point by communicating your impact transparently to customers.
The Takeaway
Food miles might be a catchy concept, but they’re just a fraction of the sustainability puzzle. The real key to reducing food-related emissions lies in understanding the full carbon footprint. If your business wants to make a real impact, focus on what truly matters: sustainable sourcing, smart menu choices, and a data-driven approach to climate action.
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