RAISIO'S PRODUCTS TO FEATURE A COLOUR CODE INDICATING CARBON FOOTPRINT
Raisio plc Press release 11 November 2009
RAISIO'S PRODUCTS TO FEATURE A COLOUR CODE INDICATING CARBON FOOTPRINT
On 11 November 2009, Raisio launched an indicator to be used on food products
that will show the carbon footprint in an easy-to-read colour code. Raisio is
the first company in Finland to take a giant leap forward in an attempt to make
it easier for consumers to make ecological choices. According to the recent
Climate Focus Nordic study, two Finns out of five are already prepared to make
more environmentally conscious food choices.
In 2008, Raisio was one of the first food companies in the world to display the
CO2 emissions of its products. During 2010, the CO2e (carbon dioxide
equivalent) markings on food products will be gradually replaced with a colour
code that shows the product's carbon footprint per one hundred grams, calculated
from field to the store warehouse.
A green colour means the product generates low emissions, while yellow-orange
tones are an indication of a heavier footprint. This colour-coded indicator
tells the consumer the product's environmental impact. This way, consumers can
make informed choices on what to put in their shopping basket.
“The carbon footprint markings in Raisio's products, and the consumers' growing
need for information, have paved the way to this new indicator that resembles a
traffic light. Just a quick glance gives consumers a good idea of the product's
emissions. We hope that many other companies will follow our example and
introduce an illustrative method of telling consumers how ecological their
products are,” says Raisio's CEO Matti Rihko.
Recent study provides the first-ever Nordic comparison
In recent months, new research has provided information on consumers'
environmental awareness and choices. The Climate Focus Nordic study (September
2009) offers, for the first time, comparable and comprehensive information on
consumer behaviour and attitudes in the different Nordic countries. The results
show that as many as 35% of Finnish people are prepared to promote environmental
well-being by making more ecological food choices. In the Nordic comparison,
Danish consumers showed the highest environmental awareness and were the most
active influencers through their choices. Raisio is responding to the consumers'
growing need for information and is expanding its selection of carbon
footprint-marked products.
Raisio plc
Heidi Hirvonen
Communications Manager
Tel. +358 50 567 3060
Further information:
Johanna Siltala, Marketing Director, Food Division, Raisio plc, tel. +358 40 506
1508
Mira Povelainen, Sustainable Development Manager, Raisio plc, tel. +358 40 578
9692
For more information about food and the climate to support your choices, see
www.ekologia.fi.