Quorn Foods
Using independently verified carbon footprints in customer communications
Climate-related brand risk: Consumer scepticism, inconsistent carbon claims, greenwashing risk and difficulty comparing environmental product performanceÂ
Solution pathway: Product life-cycle assessment, Carbon Trust verification and product-level carbon-footprint communicationÂ
Business type: Food manufacturer and consumer brandÂ
Sector: Food, meat alternatives and grocery retailÂ
Geography: United Kingdom / international consumer marketsÂ
In practice
Quorn began calculating product carbon footprints for leading products and has worked with the Carbon Trust since 2012 to review and verify its methodology and results. Its assessments take a life-cycle approach covering stages from ingredients and manufacturing through packaging, transport, retail, consumer use and end-of-life treatment.
In 2020, Quorn announced that it would communicate carbon-footprint information for 30 of its highest-selling products. The aim was to provide more specific environmental information than a general claim that meat alternatives are better for the climate.
The company reports that products representing more than 60% of its UK sales volume have independently verified carbon footprints. Its public information distinguishes between farm-to-factory comparisons and fuller product life-cycle figures, which is important because the two boundaries produce different results.
Why this example was selected
This case study was curated because Quorn was among the first major food brands to publish product-level carbon-footprint information at scale, and the initiative was independently covered by Wired and other media.
The Carbon Trust provides recognised third-party verification and states that its label confirms that footprints have been measured against internationally recognised requirements. The case therefore demonstrates a stronger communication pathway than unverified self-declared environmental marketing.
