'Enormous sense of urgency': Food Standards Agency calls for new environmental labelling rules

ITV News Consumer Editor Chris Choi explains why the fight for environmental information on food as a new consumer right is now underway

The Food Standards Agency has told ITV News that new rules are needed over environmental labelling, as concerns are raised about the inconsistency in the way products are currently being displayed.

The majority of manufacturers don't know or don't show their products carbon footprint, with many consumers potentially believing a "carbon neutral" label means there is no carbon footprint involved in the manufacturing process- which is often not the case.

As the COP26 climate summit draws to the end of its first week in Glasgow, new research from OnePoll survey shows 70% of shoppers want more environmental information.

In the clamour from food and drink producers to prove their eco credentials, there are concerns that the carbon footprint on some products is being inaccurately displayed.

With a lack of consistent regulation governing such logos and labels, there is the potential for the way firms express their product's carbon impact to be misleading.

"There is an enormous sense of urgency here," Robin May, the Food Standards Agency's chief scientific adviser, said.

"Any regulatory change that is enshrined in law is going to take a long time.

"So, what I hope is that before that point we will get to a position of agreement between the major retailers and indeed food producers."

The UK's food industry has set 2040 as the target to achieve net carbon zero.

Food production is a major contributor to carbon emissions and biodiversity loss.

The United Nation’s Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change estimates the industry is responsible for up to 37% of greenhouse gases.