TY - JOUR

T1 - Carbon labelling of grocery products

T2 - Public perceptions and potential emissions reductions

AU - Upham, Paul

AU - Dendler, Leonie

AU - Bleda, Mercedes

PY - 2011/3

Y1 - 2011/3

N2 - Public perceptions of a UK carbon labelling trial were assessed via three focus groups. The public found it very difficult to make sense of labelled emissions values without additional information. There was also little evidence of a willingness to use labels for product selection. There is a strong case for using carbon reduction labels to indicate a programme of on-going emissions reductions, rather than expecting consumers to incentivise emissions reductions by actively choosing the lower carbon variant of two or more products. The normalisation issues and emissions reduction potential of carbon labelling are discussed.

AB - Public perceptions of a UK carbon labelling trial were assessed via three focus groups. The public found it very difficult to make sense of labelled emissions values without additional information. There was also little evidence of a willingness to use labels for product selection. There is a strong case for using carbon reduction labels to indicate a programme of on-going emissions reductions, rather than expecting consumers to incentivise emissions reductions by actively choosing the lower carbon variant of two or more products. The normalisation issues and emissions reduction potential of carbon labelling are discussed.

KW - Carbon footprint

KW - Carbon label

KW - Ecolabel

KW - LCA

KW - Public perceptions

KW - Sustainability sciences, Communication

UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=78751576108&partnerID=8YFLogxK

U2 - 10.1016/j.jclepro.2010.05.014

DO - 10.1016/j.jclepro.2010.05.014

M3 - Journal articles

AN - SCOPUS:78751576108

VL - 19

SP - 348

EP - 355

JO - Journal of Cleaner Production

JF - Journal of Cleaner Production

SN - 0959-6526

IS - 4

ER -