A C a ll t o A c t i o n:

i ssu e s w i t h
su p e r m a r k e t s
Year 9 / Unit 1 Food
 agenda
1 Food Transport

Waste
2
3 Nature

Sustainable Farming
4
 So what does climate
change have to do with
the food in our shopping
trolleys?
Food is the average household’s
number one contributor to climate
change – responsible for nearly a Our food choices are
third of our climate impact. fundamentally important, not just
to our health, but to the well-
being of the planet.
 So what does climate
change have to do with
the food in our shopping
trolleys?
Energy used in food production,
processing and transport all
contribute significantly to CO2
emissions – as do supermarkets
themselves
 issues
Food is now transported
food further than ever before – both
in the UK and around the
transport: world. From 1980 to 2000 the
reducing amount of food we import
limate changetrebled, and food is sourced
from around the world in any
season.
 issues
Transport emissions from ‘food
food miles’ provide a significant and
growing contribution to global
transport: warming. Road freight accounts

reducing for the majority (65 per cent) of

CO2 emissions and contribute to
limate change increased congestion, noise,
accidents and deterioration of air
quality.‘
 issues
‘Food miles’ from airfreight
food have the highest relative
greenhouse gas emissions.
transport: The CO2 contribution from air-

reducing freighting just one small 225g

punnet of New Zealand
limate change
strawberries is equivalent to the
CO2 emissions from eleven
school runs in the car
Waste: action to reduce,
reuse and recycle
Much of the 30 million tonnes of household waste
Waste, and going to landfill each year originates from what we
particularly buy at supermarkets.
packaging, rates
highly on consumers’ Waste in landfill emits gases, including the powerful
environmental greenhouse gases methane and carbon dioxide, as
well as toxic chemicals. New sites, which are
concerns
needed for both incineration facilities and landfill,
are becoming increasingly scarce
Waste: action to reduce,
reuse and recycle
Plastic carrier bags account for 3.5 to 5.3 per cent of
the total plastic packaging used in the UK.
Waste that is not
reused or recycled is It is estimated that each year we carry home
a missed opportunity between eight to ten billion plastic bags weighing
to reduce the use of 80,000 tonnes. That’s a staggering 400 bags a year
virgin resources for every household.A typical plastic bag is used an
average of 30 minutes but won’t biodegrade for 400
years
 Nature: sustainable
sourcing

The increasing global demand for farmland results in

the loss of millions of acres of forest and other
valuable habitats as land is cleared to rear livestock
and grow crops
 Nature: sustainable
sourcing
Palm oil and soya are two
crops that are currently The story for seafood is similar: over-fishing,
under the spotlight for indiscriminate fishing techniques, capture of
causing rainforest loss young and breeding fish, and the destruction
of ecosystems have left over threequarters of
the world’s commercial fish species either
fully or overexploited or fully depleted
 Modern intensive
Sustainable farming has been
farming criticised for its impact
on the environment.

Farmland wildlife has

experienced serious decline, soil
quality has deteriorated and
agriculture is now the second
largest polluter of water in the
country
 Modern intensive
Sustainable farming has been
farming criticised for its impact
on the environment.

Many consumers are concerned about the effects of pesticides

on the environment and human health.
Some pesticides are of special concern due to their propensity
to persist (that is, to not break down in the environment into
less harmful chemicals) and to accumulate through the food
chain.
 conclusion
In conclusion, supermarkets have a significant impact on the
environment, and they have a responsibility to implement eco-
friendly practices to reduce their environmental footprint.
 conclusion
By reducing food waste, reducing energy and water consumption,
using eco-friendly packaging materials, and promoting sustainable
products, supermarkets can become more sustainable and meet the
growing consumer demand for environmentally-friendly products.
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