Sweden looks to lower CO2 though nation’s shopping carts

Supermarket shoppers are more educated than ever before on what they are putting in their carts. Sweden has taken it one step further by adding food labels that show the amount of CO2 emissions connected to the production and distribution of a product. Each label plainly states "Climate declared” or the kilograms of CO2 per kilogram of product.

The idea for the labeling system was born from a 2005 government study that found eating was the cause for 25% of national per capita emissions. If the labels could encourage shoppers to make smarter choices the nation could cut about two metric tons of CO2 emissions.

An argument can be made that the addition of the CO2 labels is a militant move and will only end up confusing customers. The Nutrition Department at the Swedish National Food Administration says that making better food choices is similar to buying a hybrid car -- every bit counts.

Of course, Swedish products get a better grade because of their lower transportation costs. The usual CO2 suspects show up in the labeling system like favoring beans or chicken over beef. Fish, a healthy alternative to other proteins, is shunned because of depleted European fish stocks and harmful fishing methods. 

It gets a bit trickier when it comes to vegetables. According to the New York Times, these labels “take into account emissions generated by fertilizer, fuel for harvesting machinery, packaging and transport.” Thinking of a salad for lunch? Not so fast. According to the National Food Administration higher fiber vegetables like cabbage are better choices than tomatoes and cucumbers. They aren’t grown in a greenhouse, are produced year round, and can be stored for long periods of time.

The CO2 labeling system is not only being tested in supermarkets but also some restaurants. A major hamburger chain voluntarily joined the program and added emissions data to their menu. Low CO2 menu items have seen a 20% jump in sales.

As the guidelines are distributed around the European Union people must make a balance between living by the climate-friendly guidelines and being healthy. A locally raised cut of pork could get a better CO2 score than a piece of Norwegian salmon. Is it better for your health? Probably not. A better alternative to these CO2 guidelines is to educate the public on growing their own groceries or starting their own chicken farm. A walk to your backyard is hardly a CO2 threat.