Food business choices for making a carbon claim Part 1: Carbon offset claims

The ability to make an environmental claim is a marketing opportunity for food businesses. Consumers once selected grocery products based simply on price or brand, but now claims environmental claims emphasising carbon neutrality or sustainability are also becoming more prominent in food product marketing. Businesses making carbon claims have choices of actual reduction of carbon emissions or the concept of ‘virtual’ reductions of global carbon emissions by purchasing carbon offset credits. This article will focusses on the later and the relevant laws and guidelines for food businesses.