Supply chain needs a fresh look

The food and drink supply chain needs to reassess its priorities and methods, according to Paul Steedman, research fellow at The Food Ethics Council.

Speaking at the annual debate organised by logistics consultancy Scala at Wroxall Abbey, Warwickshire, Steedman said figures indicating falling carbon emissions from UK food and drink distribution provided an incomplete picture.

“Absolute emissions from transport are falling, the numbers show. But this has a lot to do with the fact that the full figures don’t show up - many journeys don’t happen in the UK, they happen elsewhere. So as an industry, everyone needs to be focused on the whole supply chain, rather than just numbers in the UK.”

Steedman also encouraged retailers and processors to consider the environmental impact of the types of product they were transporting. “Food transport counts for up to 3% of carbon emissions, whereas the dairy industry counts for 8% - much bigger. That’s not to dismiss the importance of food transport, but the campaigning pressure will focus not just on how you cart the stuff around, but on what stuff you’re carting around.”

He encouraged distributors not to over-emphasise carbon emissions as an issue to the detriment of other areas. “Sustainability has been reduced to carbon efficiency. That seems to me to be a little problematic. If you’re reductionist about carbon efficiency it makes other issues drop off the agenda.”

However, Steedman congratulated the industry on what it had achieved so far. “I want to start by congratulating everyone. Within the UK, figures show empty running and carbon emissions are down, so we are becoming more efficient.” Great strides had also been made in creating more space on vehicles and finding alternative, more eco-friendly transport methods, he said.