Gousto tries carbon labeling because the report predicts the trend will “stay here”

This allows a selection of over 50 recipes to show the total carbon impact of a dish and gives you the option to replace high carbon dioxide ingredients before ordering. Gousto claimed that this was a “service not found in other recipe boxes.” It also introduces seasonality into the menu, requiring less energy for production, further minimizing carbon emissions.

The announcement came after a study conducted by environmental services company Foodsteps, comparing the environmental impact of an average Gousto box and an equivalent diet purchased in a supermarket. The results show that the recipe box company’s supper emits 23% less carbon dioxide than the equivalent meal in a traditional supermarket.

Studies show that short supply chains and food waste reductions can save 7kg of carbon dioxide (CO2e) emissions per Gousto order compared to comparable supermarket shops.

Ordering from Gousto in 2020-a record year of sales-saves 40,000 tonnes of CO2e. This is equivalent to removing 4,905 cars from the road in a year.

Gousto also mentioned the positive impact of the model on food waste. The company claims to reduce food waste in the home to nearly zero by sending fresh and accurate ingredients to every supper.

In addition, thanks to the use of Gousto’s technology, food waste at fulfillment centers is minimized. Fulfillment centers operate on less than 1% surplus food, thanks to AI forecasts that predict weekly order volumes, helping to avoid overordering food from suppliers.

“Such research is important to help consumers make more environmentally friendly food choices and to inform the wider industry of where to improve to reduce carbon dioxide emissions.”Dr Isaac Emery of Informed Sustainability Consulting, who validated the study, said. “Food waste costs three times as much climate change as traveling by air, but Gousto’s innovative operations minimize waste. These findings tell the food industry about climate. It shows how great an opportunity is to reduce waste to reach our climate change goals. “

Gousto CEO and Founder Timo Boldt adds: “Gousto came from our vision of removing food waste from our systems, much of which is caused by the inefficiencies of traditional food chains. By leveraging technology, we have achieved a significant 23% reduction in carbon dioxide emissions compared to supermarket stores.

“We are growing fast, but we are committed to doing so with the goal that every diet will make the world a better place.”

Packaging was criticized

Other studies claim that meal kits can reduce food waste by more than two-thirds, but researchers have criticized the heavy use of cardboard and packaging in the meal kit sector. Last year, Gousto promised to reduce the plastic in its boxes by 50%, allowing all its own branded packages to be reused, recycled or composted by the end of 2022.

This move also occurs when AI data researcher Spoonshot predicts that carbon labeling tends to “continue”.

“Brands, retailers and restaurants are beginning to look at on-pack carbon labels as a way to promote transparency, raise awareness of plant impacts and appeal to environmentally friendly consumers.”It is mentioned in the report on food trends. “Various ways of demonstrating this environmental impact have emerged, but with references to emission data and production processes.”

Spoonshot data, on the other hand, show that interest in conscious purchase of food increased by 551% among Gen Z. Carbon trust. According to Nestlé, carbon-neutral claims have been achieved by a variety of means, including the use of renewable energy for production, reduction of emissions in distribution, and investment in offset projects.

Spoonshot now expects consumers to increase their demand for transparency. “For more specific information about exactly how sustainable the product is, not just in terms of general callouts such as sustainability.”

Of the approximately 460 ecolabels used worldwide, more than 120 are used in food and beverage products. However, “These various ways of exhibiting the eco-friendly nature of products can be inconsistent and difficult for consumers to understand.”,A spoon shot report has been added to welcome the arrival of an independent scoring system similar to Nutriscore called Ecoscore in Europe. This score shows the impact of carbon in one easy-to-understand symbol, taking into account factors such as product life cycle, production, transportation, packaging, and origin of raw materials.

Source: Food Navigator

Author: Oliver Morrison