March 23, 2022

Carbon Inventory and the Food Industry

In 2018, 10% of net greenhouse gas emissions in the UK were estimated to be from agriculture. The targeted overall outcomes by 2025, relative to 2015, is to reduce the GHG emissions associated with production and consumption of food and drink in the UK by 20% per capita. This type of ambition is necessary to decarbonise the whole food and drink value chain, from cradle to grave.
A similar target has been set by the Scotch Whisky Industry has early as 2009 to reduce energy use and greenhouse gas emissions; use water responsibly and embracing circularity in the whole supply chain.
The Diary Road Map showed a similar commitment to sustainability since 2008, the industry committed to tackling issues related to biodiversity, water use, GHG emission, waste and pollution.

Food and drink processing

This is the process of taking eatable and drinkable raw materials and converting them into food and drink products. However, because of the numerous processes involved in the production of a food and drink product, the potential for carbon emission is high.
The carbon emission accounting should cover the raw material used, production processes, mining and reprocessing of packaging material.
Raw material: These are emission associated with processing of the raw material used by the organisation
Processing: This includes any food and drink production and warehousing activities under direct control of the organisation. These are reported under scope 1 and 2 emissions
Packaging: This covers the raw material mining and production of all packaging material and end life recycling for reprocessing.
Others: Emission associated with retailing your products, handling your product waste and transportation of both product and waste.