Distribution
Primary Manufacturing Packaging Retail Consumption Production
In 2002 food transportation accounted for 25% of all UK HGV vehicle kilometres and 1.8% of the country's annual CO² emissions. The environmental impacts of food transportation therefore pose key sustainability challenges to the industry. The most significant environmental impacts from transport occur during product distribution however substantial impacts also occur at other points of the food chain. Consumer travel to and from food retailers, for example, accounts for approximately 1 in 10 UK car journeys in the UK.
The overwhelming sustainability issue associated with food distribution is its significant contribution to the emission of greenhouse gases and particulates. Transportation at each stage of the chain can take place via a variety of modes which give rise to varying carbon footprints. Air freight is the fastest growing and also most polluting mode of transportation, currently accounting for 1% of UK food tonne kilometres and producing 11% of food transport CO² equivalent emissions.
Other more minor implications of food transportation include the social costs (i.e. trafficjams, destruction of the roads and noise pollution) and the increased incidence of accidents related to food transport. The transportation of food also gives rise to significant volumes of packaging and consequently waste.
Improving the efficiency of local food systems is one potential means of minimising food miles and the unsustainable environmental impacts associated with this.
Key considerations
- What are the key threats to sustainablity at this stage of the food chain?
- What is your organisation required to do by law?
- What external help is available?
1. What are the key threats to sustainablity at this stage of the food chain?
- Carbon emissions and air pollution are the most significant risk to sustainability during the distribution stage of the food product life cycle.
- The type of fuel used. A range of different fuels can be used and this impacts upon the carbon footprint of food miles. Opportunities exist for lowering the carbon footprint for transportation through the use of alternative fuels such as bioethanol, biodiesel and hydrogen.
- The social costs of transportation. These include congestion, accidents, road destruction and noise pollution. Defra estimate that the social costs of congestion are around £5 billion/yr whilst the social cost of accidents is thought to amount to around £2 billion/yr. To investigate these issues further explore the 2005 Defra publication, the Validity of Food Miles as an Indicator of Sustainable Development.
- Packaging Waste has a significant impact on the sustainability of food distribution. Reducing packaging volume or improving packaging design can lower the impact of vehicle use through increased efficiency, allowing greater quantities of produce to be distributed per journey.
- Mode of Freight Employed. The mode of transport a company uses to distribute goods can have a significant impact on the level of CO² produced. It is therefore of the utmost importance that appropriate and informed decisions are made in respect of this.
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Emissions by mode of transport – grams of CO2 used to transport one tonne of food, 1km
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Air
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Short-haul
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1,580
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Long-haul
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570
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Road
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Transit van
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97
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Large truck
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63
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Ship
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RO/RO
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40
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Bulk
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10
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Car (carrying 20kg of food)
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Small petrol
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8,500
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Large petrol
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13,500
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2. What is your organisation required to do by law?
Road based transportation is subject not only to the broader transport legislation such as the LDVs Directive (which requires more stringent fuel regulations to be met such as making sulphur free diesel mandatory from 2009) and the HGVs Directive (which sets emissions standards and provides tax incentives to meet these requirements prior to deadlines) but also legislation pertaining to issues of environmental sustainability . The transportation of produce by tractors is governed by the Agricultural or Forestry Tractors Regulations which requires inefficient tractor engines to be phased out. Similarly the Welfare of Animal (Transport Act), passed by the UK Government in 1997, lays out rules to ensure the ethical and humane treatment of livestock during the transportation stage of the food chain.
The Department for Transport has committed in various way to environmental issues and aims to formulate and implement policies which balance the needs of the economy, the environment and society as well as the environmental performance of transport. A range of fuels can also be used which can impact on the carbon footprint of food miles. Opportunities exist for lowering the carbon footprint for transportation through the use of alternative fuels such a bioethanol, biodiesel and hydrogen. This has been recognised by HMG and EU biofuel directives.
3. What external help is available?
The Department for Transport is the government transport department which aims to formulate and implement policies which balance the needs of the economy, the environment and society as well as the environmental performance of transport. Their website contains a useful collection of policy, guidance and research information.
Defra publications including Reducing the External Costs of the Domestic Transportation of Food by the Food Industry and others which can be found on their website.
The Institute of Grocery Distributers (IGD) provide information, research, factsheets and best practice guides to enable companies to develop whilst incorporating ideas of sustainability.
The Sustainable Development Commission is the government's independent advisory body on sustainable development. It provides best practice guides, publications, information and advice for companies as well as information on available government advice and support.
Forum for the Future engages with private and public organisations and aims to find practical ways for them to deliver a sustainable future as well as communicating their ideas and findings to them.
Challenges to overcome
- A lack of viable alternative modes of freight. Switching to rail freight or other more environmentally sound methods of freighting goods such as shipping is often unpractical. The limitation of rail freight are discussed in more detail on the Department for Transport website.
- Consumer demand for out of season produce. A greater reliance on locally sourced produce can also help to minimise the negative environmental impacts of the transportation of raw materials and produce. This is often not realistic as the goods demanded may not be available locally. In the food industry, the demand for out of season produce means that goods often have to be imported from abroad by air.
- The uncertain environmental consequences of 'green' technologies. In recent years, for example, the issues of biofuels has become an area of intense debate with many people advocating their use as a means of reducing transport related carbon emissions. Others argue that the environmental benefits of the use of such fuels should not be assumed without examining the whole life emissions of their use and the broader environmental impacts involved in the expansion of crop cultivation.
Are there useful sources of advice we haven’t included? If so, please let us know.
Are there key considerations we haven’t included? If so, please let us know.
Are there challenges in this area we haven’t discussed? If so, please let us know.