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Search For busy shoppers, investigating a brand’s credentials on climate can mean disappearing down a rabbit hole of strategy reports, charts and statements. How do they really know a product walks the walk, rather than just talking the talk when it comes to sustainability?
While many brands want to lessen their impact on the world, with some wanting to go even further to create positive change, there’s increasing scrutiny over environmental claims, whether that’s from consumers, media or regulators. The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) recently issued guidance to businesses on ‘green’ claims, in a bid to prevent companies from misleading customers.
For brands caught on the back foot when it comes to sustainability, there’s a reputational risk. And no company wants to be left behind in the race to provide products that shoppers increasingly want. That’s why product labelling by a leading independent organisation like the Carbon Trust can provide the integrity and transparency a business needs to quickly communicate its commitment on sustainability to its customers. As Hugh Jones, the Carbon Trust’s Managing Director of Advisory Services, says:
A footprint label is more tangible for the general public than long-term targets and trajectories. A label has the power to bring these issues into people’s everyday lives via their shopping basket…
In short, a consumer can see a label and make a quicker choice about the sustainability of a product.
The Carbon Trust’s footprint label is the most widely known carbon footprint label globally, allowing a business to measure, manage and reduce the impact of its products. We assess a product’s lifecycle, a process underpinned by robust and credible analysis.
Carbon footprinting is increasingly important to consumers – our research shows that three out of five people would be more likely to buy a product if they saw a carbon footprint label on it. Shoppers have also indicated they would be prepared to recommend and pay more for such products. It can also enhance a brand’s reputation. We found that two thirds of consumers surveyed said they are more likely to think positively about a brand that can demonstrate that it has lowered the carbon footprint of its products. Carbon footprint labelling will help build value and recognition, and provide the opportunity to lead your category, while also making a positive impact on the world. You can read more about the consumer research behind product carbon footprint labelling here.
The Carbon Trust has over two decades of international experience in this area, working across five continents, from certification and targeting setting to strategy and climate action planning, partnering with businesses, organisations and governments on our mission to accelerate the move to Net Zero. Over the years, we’ve certified more than 27,000 individual product footprints, many of which display our label in over 40 countries. Partners include Evian, Samsung, Dyson, and Quorn, the latter who recently commented that: “Working with the Carbon Trust…allows us to proudly display the Carbon Reduction Label in our packs – emphasising our third-party certification achievement and exemplifying to our consumers a commitment to further carbon reductions.”
To learn more, contact one of our experts here.
