The UK Food Ecolabel Review 2023-2024 Project
CLEAR is working with the Agriculture and Environment Research Unit in the School of Life and Medical Sciences at the University of Hertfordshire to review the current environmental food labelling (ecolabels) schemes in the UK (The Review).
Project Key Aims and Objectives:
To identify and characterise relevant UK ecolabels and schemes.
To identify the strengths and weaknesses of different ecolabels and schemes and evaluate the extent to which they provide a true and fair view of the environmental impact of the food at the product level.
To illuminate barriers to the integration of farm-level data and identify pathways for the greater use of farm-gate data in the future.
To present the findings of the review within the context of supporting:
(i) the transition of the UK food system to agroecology (including opportunities and challenges for primary producers) and
(ii) meeting national food sovereignty and environmental agendas and targets.
UK Food Ecolabel Review Steering Committee:
A steering committee was set up to monitor the progress of the research and to provide expert advice and guidance.
It is chaired by Dr. Lisa Norton, an agroecologist and Senior Scientist at the Centre for Ecology and Hydrology (CEH).
View the Steering Committee Membership (PDF. 19 KB. 1 page)
View the Steering Committee Terms of Reference (PDF. 90KB. 8 pages)
Potential contribution to UK policy and regulatory development in food labelling:
We have communicated our intention to submit the Review findings to the Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs (DEFRA) and contribute to the work of the Food Data Transparency Partnership (FDTP) to establish a mandatory methodology for voluntary food ecolabels.
For more information about The Review, contact the Project Lead, Catherine Chong.