Juha-Matti Katajajuuri

The Foodprint - research programme aims to harmonise calculation methods and communication of footprints in the Finnish food sector taking care that international developments and best practices are taken into account. Some of the most challenging issues in the methodology development are described in this paper

Description/Abstract: The study consists of an assessment of life cycle based environmental impacts of production and consumption in the Finnish economy in 2002 and 2005. The study resulted in the ENVIMAT model which can be used to analyze the relationship between material flows, environmental impacts and economic impacts. The model is based on monetary and physical input-output tables and an environmental life cycle impact assessment. Thus, it represents so-called environmentally extended input-output analysis ...

Tutkimuksessa selvitettiin Suomen tuotannon ja kulutuksen elinkaariset ympäristövaikutukset toimialoittain ja tuoteryhmittäin vuosina 2002 ja 2005. Hankkeen tuloksena syntyi ENVIMAT-malli, jolla voidaan arvioida materiaalivirtojen, ympäristövaikutusten ja taloudellisten vaikutusten välisiä suhteita. Malli edustaa ns. ympäristölaajennettua panos-tuotostyökalua, jossa perustana ovat taloudelliset panos-tuotostaulukot yhdistettynä elinkaarisiin ympäristövaikutuksiin. Suomelle tehty ENVIMAT- ...

ABSTRACT The environmental impacts of packages have been found to be relatively small compared with the food items they contain. Furthermore, from the environmental and operational point of view, the most significant task of the package is to protect the product, which is important to acknowledge in the packaging design process. This study introduces a guiding framework for designing sustainable food packaging. In this approach, the entire life cycle of the product–package combination is taken into consideration. The emphasis is on the prevention of food losses in packaging design as a major environmental criterion. Consideration of the properties of both the package and the product itself when designing the final package will lead to a better end result with smaller product losses and environmental impacts. By using different assessment methods in the different stages of the packaging design, the sustainability of the package can be enhanced. The decision making of the packaging designer is facilitated with methods that are introduced step by step and in a certain order that will also allow for corrective measures through back-loops in the design process. The purpose is to integrate sustainability aspects at all stages firmly into the design process. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

ABSTRACT This paper examines the environmental impacts of food waste and the influence that packaging alternatives can have on causing food waste. This paper presents the results of three life cycle assessment case studies on packed food products. The life cycle assessments were conducted for ham, dark bread and Soygurt drink (fermented soy-based drink). In each case study, the environmental impacts of the products were assessed with different assumptions about the packaging sizes and alternative materials. The studies especially considered the environmental impacts resulting from food waste generated by consumers as a function of the variable packaging options. The food waste of other parts of the production chain of the studied products was also taken into account. A consumer survey was carried out to estimate the amounts of product waste generated in Finnish households connected to the three investigated products. The environmental impacts of the food products, household food waste and packaging were modelled by scenarios with varying rates of household food waste and different waste management options. The results indicated that the significance of the production and post-consumer life of packaging was relatively low for climate change, eutrophication and acidification, in comparison with the production chain of the ham, dark bread and Soygurt. According to the results, packaging solutions that minimize the waste generation in households as well as in distribution and retail will lead to the lowest environmental impacts of the entire product-packaging chain. Therefore, it is important to design packages that protect the food properly and allow the consumer to use the product fully. Copyright

ABSTRACT The aim of this study was to explore how Finnish consumers perceive the communication of carbon footprints for food products. The study comprised five semi-structured focus groups and an online-survey of 1010 respondents. The study showed that the term ‘product carbon footprint’ is familiar to many, but there is substantial misunderstanding of its meaning. Only 7% of the respondents linked ‘product carbon footprint’ spontaneously to greenhouse gas emissions associated with the product and an additional 5% of the respondents linked it to climate change. There are positive attitudes towards carbon labels, 90% stated that a carbon footprint would have at least a little impact on their buying decision, but the information became meaningful only when many other purchasing criteria (such as price and taste) were satisfied. Furthermore, 86% preferred carbon labels that allow comparisons of carbon footprints to be made among food products, but there is divergence on perceived needs for carbon label content.

ABSTRACT This study focused on mapping the volume and composition of avoidable food waste in the Finnish food production–consumption chain, and demonstrated that around 130 million kg of food waste are generated each year (23 kg per capita/year) from the household sector. Most of the discarded food was fresh and perishable, or leftovers from cooking and dining. Converted into greenhouse gases, the food discarded annually from Finnish households is approximately equal to the annual carbon dioxide emissions of 100,000 cars. The annual economic value of household food waste is about €70 per person. In the food service sector, the amount of waste ranged from 7% to 28% for cooked food, depending on restaurant type. In the entire sector it was estimated to be 75 to 85 million kg per year. Food waste was estimated to be 65–75 million kg per year in the retail sector. The entire food industry was estimated to produce around 75–140 million kg of food waste per year. Altogether, 335–460 million kg of food is avoidably wasted in the Finnish food chain (excluding primary production) per year.

ABSTRACT Purpose ‐ This paper aims to identify and define the content of corporate social responsibility (CSR) for the food chain. Design/methodology/approach ‐ A qualitative research approach was applied in the study, based on participatory and case study research methodologies. The study drew on three different case food products and their supply chains: rye bread, broiler chicken products and margarine. The content of CSR was built through participatory workshops, the aim of which was to elicit the ideas of different stakeholder groups. Findings ‐ The study identified seven key dimensions of food chain CSR: environment, product safety, corporate nutritional responsibility, occupational welfare, animal health and welfare, local market presence and economic responsibility. Originality/value ‐ The results provide food and agribusiness companies with a better understanding of core CSR issues and their relevance in complex chains and networks. This may encourage the companies to promote their activities in a more responsible and sustainable direction and offer elements to build sustainable business cases. In addition, the results may indicate a change towards broader understanding of what is meant by corporate social responsibility.

This article presents the development process of a consumer-oriented, illustrative benchmarking tool enabling consumers to use the results of environmental life cycle assessment (LCA) to make informed decisions. LCA provides a wealth of information on the environmental impacts of products, but its results are very difficult to present concisely and in a way that is understandable to non-experts. A participatory