Carbon labelling is often touted as a way of enabling consumers to shop sustainably. But is trialling carbon labels just a PR exercise or can communicating the climate change impacts of everyday products to consumers genuinely drive consumer behaviour for the better?

Forum for the Future’s independent research on this subject – sponsored by Lloyd’s Register – included consumer focus groups, expert interviews and surveys. The aim was to explore the role that carbon labelling has to play if the goal is a low-carbon shopping basket.

Culminating in our report, Check-out carbon, the research highlighted that we need a much more strategic, prioritised approach to messages about the climate change impacts of products. Businesses need to give consumers genuine options, rather than just information. Consumers also want business and government to help them shop sustainably by removing the worst offending products from the shelves.

“Labels showing energy ratings on white goods and cars have shown how labelling can drive behaviour, both in business and amongst consumers. But carbon labelling is only one tool and won’t work on its own. Businesses also need to have substance behind their communications and show that they are working hard to reduce not just the carbon impacts, but the broader sustainability impacts, of their products.” Dan Crossley, report author

The report proposes key steps for government, retailers and manufacturers to achieve a low-carbon shopping basket:

1. Encourage consumers to make the big, non-product choices – such as driving less.
2. Provide advice and support action on the product issues that really matter – such as reducing food waste and using electrical appliances more efficiently.
3. Take sustainability decisions on behalf of customers – remove the high-carbon villains from sale.
4. Ensure carbon messaging fits with other sustainability messaging – don’t confuse consumers.
5. Give advice on how to reduce post-checkout impacts – when product use or disposal impacts are significant.
6. Start with the big feet – prioritise measurement and labelling of products by focusing on those with: high overall footprints; high impacts during consumer use; high variability within a category; and big opportunities for reduction.
7. Be selective about what you communicate – don’t put a label on everything.
8. Ensure you give consumers options not just information – know what you want consumers to do with a label.

Since publication...

Retailers and other organisations have recognised that carbon labelling is not the only solution. In Summer 2009, the Carbon Trust announced that the carbon footprint number is now optional on their Carbon Reduction Label because "a single number on the Carbon Reduction Label isn't right for every brand or simple for every consumer to understand." This decision was influenced by Forum for the Future.

For supporting information and research data, click here.

Peter Madden, CEO of Forum for the Future, speaks about carbon labelling in the video below: