Japan to Mandate Carbon Labelling

(The Age, Melbourne)

Japan is to enforce carbon footprint labelling on food packaging and other products in an ambitious scheme to persuade companies and consumers to do more to reduce their greenhouse gas emissions.

The labels will appear on food, drink, detergents and electrical appliances from next year, providing detailed breakdowns of each product’s carbon footprint under a calculation and labelling system being formulated by the Trade Ministry.The ministry said the labels would show emissions produced by the manufacture, distribution and disposal of each product.

To promote the scheme, the ministry released details of the carbon footprint of a packet of chips. One bag produces 75 grams of carbon dioxide: 44% from growing potatoes, 30% in production, 15% from the packaging, 9% during delivery and 2% from disposal.

Last month, the Government vowed to reduce total carbon emissions by up to 80% by 2050.