A study looking at the carbon-footprint of a range of key consumer staples sold through Tesco has reported that the two organic products studied generated no more and in some cases less greenhouse gases than the same amount grown non-organically.
Peter Melchett, Soil Association Policy Director said:
"We congratulate Tesco for making an important start in helping people to reduce the impact of their food on the climate - something the Government has so far failed to do. By encouraging people to choose to put the most climate-friendly food in their shopping baskets, the everyday necessity of eating could be transformed into one of the most effective environmental acts everyone can take.
"We also welcome the fact that Tesco have been clear that their researchers were not able to include what we believe is one of the main advantages of organic compared to non-organic farming. Overall, organic farming has a reduced carbon footprint as it stores carbon in the soil, as well as using less fossil fuel energy. Given this omission, the Tesco findings for the carbon footprint for organic potatoes and tomatoes are particularly positive."
The Soil Association welcomes work to develop carbon labelling for food. However, at the moment most studies in the UK, including the work done for the Tesco, do not reflect the actual carbon footprint of organic food production. Tesco's researchers acknowledged that they were not able to take into account the amount of carbon that can be stored or released from agricultural soils by different farming practices.
