Recently, I saw two HGV trucks within a few vehicles apart emblazoned with messaging about the energy efficient credentials of the transport logistics operation of their respective companies.
- McDonald’s
- Ocado
This got me thinking. Beyond the energy use in our homes and modes of travel, we should also be cognisant about the carbon footprint of the consumer products we purchase. Oftentimes, we are so far removed from the manufacturing process and/or the supply chain behind how the products get to the shop shelves. We frequently make purchases without thinking about this or the broader sustainability principles in getting the products to market. And in the instances, when we may do, we probably just accept blindly the marketing that is displayed across the product. To add insult to injury, it is more complicated to track carbon emissions of products or what is referred to as embedded carbon because oftentimes it comprises emissions from more than one company or process within the supply chain and published data from these companies may be inaccurate at best or even non-existent.
Of late it has become a part of common place marketing by some companies to brandish credentials of their low or net zero carbon footprint which in many instances may be exaggerated. Quantifying or the accounting of carbon emissions is becoming a big industry as more companies start to follow strict sustainability standards/protocols set by various reputable, third-party organisations. So, when we are looking to buy various types of consumable products, we should not blindly follow the net zero carbon marketing bling for the product, but we should look with a critical eye at what sustainable standards and/or environmental stewardship the companies that are selling these products are adhering to.
So when I see the such messaging as emblazoned across the McDonalds trailer outlining that all their waste cooking oil is converted to biodiesel to be used in their trucks OR that Ocado uses streamline aerodynamic trailers for more fuel efficient delivery of their grocery, I will look at these slogans in the context of the broader environmental standards and commitments of the companies. For example, such as how the company operations and supply chains align with the overall aims of UN Sustainable Development Goal or is the company a ‘Certified B Corporation’? Has the company committed to the Science Base Targets to lower their emissions? Therefore, we can support companies that are making the right corporate choices and thus we can impact change by our buying power as consumers. The mention of these two companies is not to say that they are not undertaking sustainable measures, but we as conscientious consumers need to look beyond the eco bling before we spend our hard earn money with any company.