Sectors → Food & drink
If you sell to a UK supermarket, you are already inside their Scope 3. Tesco, Sainsbury's and M&S all require verified emissions data from suppliers, and the FDF Net Zero roadmap commits the entire UK food sector to net zero by 2040, ten years ahead of the legal deadline.
These are the regulatory and commercial pressures already landing on businesses in your sector. Carbon measurement is no longer a marketing project, it is a procurement and compliance requirement.
Tesco's Supplier Net Zero Manifesto, Sainsbury's Plan for Better and M&S Plan A all require suppliers to disclose Scope 1, 2 and material Scope 3 emissions, set science-based targets and report progress annually. Non-compliance risks delisting at range review.
FDF – Ambition 2030If you set a Science Based Target and your land-use, agriculture or forestry emissions exceed 20% of total Scope 1 + 3, you must use the SBTi Forest, Land and Agriculture (FLAG) guidance, and set both an energy/industry target and a separate FLAG target. This applies to almost every food brand.
SBTi FLAG guidanceExtended Producer Responsibility for packaging (EPR) is now active, with full producer fees from 2025. Combined with the Deposit Return Scheme (Scotland 2025, England/NI 2027) and the Plastic Packaging Tax, packaging carbon is now a board-level cost line, not just an environmental concern.
GOV.UK – Packaging EPRIn food and drink, raw ingredients (Scope 3 Cat 1) and packaging usually account for 70–90% of total emissions, with land-use change and on-farm emissions dwarfing anything inside your factory. A credible footprint must capture this, supermarket buyers know if it doesn't.
Scope 1: direct
Gas-fired ovens, distillation, refrigerants, on-site fleet for distribution and chilled deliveries.
Scope 2: purchased energy
Electricity for production, chilled storage, packaging lines, restaurants and hospitality venues.
Scope 3: value chain
Agricultural raw materials and ingredients (Cat 1, often 60–80% of total); packaging materials (Cat 1); inbound and outbound chilled freight (Cat 4 and 9); food waste to landfill (Cat 5 and 12); customer cooking and refrigeration (Cat 11).
Read our full guide to Scope 3 emissions for UK businesses.
Full Scope 1, 2 and 3 measurement using ingredient-specific emission factors (Poore & Nemecek, Agribalyse, BEIS), the data supermarket buyers actually want.
Carbon Footprint AssessmentWe build a reduction roadmap that maps directly onto Tesco, Sainsbury's or M&S supplier requirements, including ingredient substitution, packaging redesign and supplier engagement.
Carbon Reduction PlanFor consumer-facing brands, ISO 14068-aligned carbon neutral certification can support marketing claims that comply with CMA Green Claims Code and ASA guidance.
Carbon Neutral CertificationRecommended tool
Food brands typically have 50–500 ingredient and packaging suppliers. The portal collects primary supplier emissions instead of generic spend-based estimates.
Explore the Supplier Engagement PortalOr explore our full toolkit for SMEs working towards net zero.
Real food & drink achieving measurable carbon reductions and net zero compliance with our expert carbon consultancy.
Family-run premium gin distillery selling into independent off-trade, on-trade and major UK retailers. We delivered a full Scope 1, 2 and 3 carbon footprint covering distillation, botanicals, glass and packaging supply, and a reduction plan supporting B-Corp positioning and supermarket supplier sustainability requirements.
Tesco has been explicit in its Supplier Net Zero Manifesto that emissions disclosure and science-based targets are conditions for ongoing supplier listing. While delisting is a last resort, suppliers without credible carbon data are increasingly losing range reviews, NPD opportunities and own-brand contracts to competitors who do report.
If you set a Science Based Target and your land-related emissions (agricultural ingredients, deforestation risk, soil carbon) exceed 20% of total Scope 1 + 3, yes. For almost all food and drink brands, this applies. FLAG requires both an energy/industry target and a separate land-related target, we structure your footprint so the split is auditable.
Yes, but only if you can substantiate it under the CMA Green Claims Code and ASA guidance. That means a verified footprint, a published reduction plan, and any residual emissions offset using credits from recognised standards (Gold Standard, Verra). We deliver all three so the claim is defensible if challenged.
The same Scope 1, 2, 3 framework applies, but the hotspots shift: food procurement dominates Scope 3 (often 60%+), followed by waste and customer travel. We've worked with hospitality groups using the same methodology as food manufacturers, adjusted for the operational reality of multi-site venues.
EPR fees are paid per tonne of packaging placed on market and vary by material (with modulated fees from 2026 favouring recyclable formats). The data you submit for EPR (volumes, materials, recyclability) is essentially the same data we need for packaging carbon footprinting, we can reuse your Defra returns to accelerate Scope 3 Cat 1 calculations.
We work with UK SMEs across food & drink on consultant-led Carbon Footprint Assessments, PPN 006-aligned Carbon Reduction Plans and ISO 14068 carbon neutral certification, every output reviewed by our team, not auto-generated.
Contact our team today and join hundreds of organisations already reducing their carbon footprint and achieving net zero compliance with expert guidance.