Consumer information

Educate consumers about the sustainability of their food

The scientific indicators provided by AGRIBALYSE® are complex to interpret for users unfamiliar with the Life Cycle Assessment methodology. They are therefore not directly usable for communication with the general public, but they can be used within the framework of environmental labelling. An experiment is underway in France to test environmental display devices for the food sector, which notably incorporates AGRIBALYSE® data.

Environmental communication is governed by standards

Environmental communication and data from Life Cycle Analyses are governed by ISO 14020/14040 standards. In terms of communication, these standards set out the main principles, with information having to be: relevant, accurate and verifiable.

The methods of communication are also distinguished: official labels, self-declaration and eco-profiles. Comparisons between competing products require precise information: external critical reviews, reports in accessible ‘standard’ formats, etc.

All stakeholders wishing to implement environmental communication based on AGRIBALYSE® and/or complementary data are invited to refer to the best practices presented in these standards.

The use of AGRIBALYSE® data for consumer information

🔸Use of data on an aggregated scale

AGRIBALYSE® data is particularly suitable for consumer information on an aggregate scale: menu or meal tray scale (comparing a fruit salad with a red fruit panna cotta) or diet scale (comparing diets with more or less animal protein per week, for example).

The AGRIBALYSE® database is not a turnkey tool for caterers, but it is a rich source of information. This data can help you with your projects on:

• Improving menus and recipes from a nutritional and environmental point of view, since AGRIBALYSE® data is based on the same nomenclature and the same products as the CIQUAL® nutritional database.

• Informing diners.

🔸 Use of data at the level of specific products

The use of AGRIBALYSE® data at the product level is more complex since at the food scale the AGRIBALYSE® data reflect an average standard reality, not allowing, used alone, to compare products of competing brands by example.

« AGRIBALYSE helps to build a common vision on environmental issues between professionals, consumers and actors of civil society. We regularly use this data; in particular, they enabled us to show that environmentally friendly and economically affordable food is possible. »

Thomas Uthayakumar, Sustainable Food Systems Program Manager, WWF France

Environmental labelling of food products, a complex issue, an ongoing experiment

Studies about the calculation of environmental scores for environmental labeling are carried out outside the AGRIBALYSE program. These projcts indeed integrate parameters which go beyond the framework of Life Cycle Analyzes (politic and socioeconomic parameters).

As part of the ‘Climate and Resilience Act’, the French Ministry for Ecological Transition is piloting work to define an ‘official environmental display’ for the food sector (as well as for other sectors). This work is based on Agribalyse data, in addition to other elements.

To find out more, visit the dedicated page on the ADEME website.