How does the carbon footprint of British Frozen Foods compare with air freighted exotic fruit and vegetables?
Many thanks for your fascinating question which is quite tricky to answer. The whole area of carbon foot printing is complex and difficult to provide a simple answer for. Indeed only in recent months have the academics agreed a standard for measuring carbon lifecycles for products after two years debate! The vast majority of imported fruit and vegetables are delivered by sea as the costs are so much less than air-freight. The carbon footprint of transport by sea is tiny. The footprint of fruit and vegetables depends on which fruit and vegetables, where they are grown, how they are grown and cultivated and how they are then processed. Some independent research from DEFRA completed by Manchester Business School has shown tomatoes shipped from Spain have a much lower carbon footprint that home grown tomatoes in the U.K. Also a survey has shown that flowers grown in Kenya and air freighted has a lower footprint than flowers grown in Holland. Frozen products enjoy many carbon benefits compa
