LCA Food 2012 in Saint Malo, France! - Manifestations et colloques ...

PARALLEL SESSION 5A: FOOD LABELLING 8 th Int. Conference on LCA in the
Agri-Food Sector, 1-4 Oct 2012
The aggregation method was selected among five other methods. The method is robust, elaborated by
BIO IS with a panel of experts and recognized by ADEME and the French Ministry of Environment
(MEDDTL). Nonetheless, it may be subsequently updated, for example:
Each indicator may be weighed in light of the social, cultural and scientific priorities of 2012 as
the PRIOR® method was developed in 2006.
Water consumption may be weighed, as there is no specific weighting coefficient for it, the coefficient
of non renewable natural resources is currently used instead, pending further precision of
the method.
The global method may be extended to the broader European context as the current method is
adapted to French context only. The method will also be improved with the inclusion of biodiversity
information as soon as a consensual calculation methodology is available.
Finally, support information around environmental labelling, indicators and the Environmental
Index should be prepared to improve the level of understanding of the approach.
It took several years for customers to be familiar with nutrition labelling. Now they seem to be seeking
this kind of information. The same trend will likely happen with environmental information.
5. Conclusion
The Environmental Index study enabled the testing of a methodology for environmental labelling that can
be expressed with a single and simple score, with the participation of various actors of the agro-industry
sector.
With the aim of providing clear and objective information, this study is intended to streamline environmental
display information to help consumers make sustainable purchasing choices. Indeed this approach
makes it possible for products from the same or different categories to be differentiated according to environmental
performance. This new approach needs nonetheless pedagogy efforts from professionals involved
in environmental labelling in order to increase the level of understanding of consumers. The methodology
chosen is flexible for integrating future upgrades without having to change the format of the Environmental
Index, to which consumers are becoming familiarised. This study may also be the first step toward setting up
eco-design approaches on food products. In this way, it may efficiently promote the reduction of environmental
impacts due to food consumption.
6. References
ADEME-AFNOR, 2011. BPX30-323: référentiel de bonnes pratiques sur l’affichage environnemental des produits de grande consummation.
Casino, 2012. L’indice carbone Casino. http://www.produits-casino.fr/developpement-durable/dd_indice-carbone-indice.html
Casino-IFOP, 2012. Perception par les consommateurs de l’environnement, l’affichage environnemental et l’Indice Environnemental.
Enquête réalisée auprès de 969 clients du Groupe Casino, currently unpublished.
CORPEN, 2006. Guide des émissions d’ammoniac et gaz azotés à effet de serre en agriculture.
Labouze E., 2006. PRIOR®, un outil de priorisation des enjeux environnementaux - Guide pratique destiné aux acteurs de l'écoconception.
ISO 14044, 2006. Environmental management — Life cycle assessment — Requirements and guidelines.
Oudet N., 2011. Environmental assessment of conventional vs organic food consumption in France.
Projet CASDAR, 2009. Guide méthodologique pour l’estimation des impacts des activités agricoles sur l’effet de serre.
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