What is Food Miles?
The distance food travels from production to consumption. While transport contributes to food carbon footprints, production methods often have a larger impact than transportation distance.
Why it matters
Food miles is a widely understood concept but can be misleading in isolation. A seasonal UK-grown vegetable may have a higher footprint than one shipped from a warmer climate if the UK version requires heated greenhouses. Full lifecycle carbon data provides the complete picture.
Example
A restaurant chain compares UK-grown winter tomatoes (heated glasshouses) with Spanish imports (outdoor growing plus road freight). The Spanish tomatoes have a 40% lower carbon footprint per kilogram despite the transport distance.
Related terms
Supply Chain Emissions
Greenhouse gas emissions generated by suppliers in the production and delivery of goods and services. Supply chain emissions typically fall under Scope 3 and often represent the largest portion of a company's carbon footprint.
Scope 3 Emissions
All other indirect emissions occurring in an organisation's value chain, both upstream and downstream. Scope 3 typically represents 70-90% of a company's total carbon footprint and includes emissions from suppliers, business travel, employee commuting, and product use.
Put your knowledge into practice
Start measuring your carbon footprint with EcoHedge. Connect your accounting software and get your first carbon report in hours.