We might all know about the fact that energy and transportation industries are major contributors to the world’s carbon emissions. But did you know that the food retail sector comes in fifth among the Top 7 Most Polluting Industries in 2023, with a whopping 3.1 billion greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions annually?

Much research and attention have been focused on agriculture and the transportation of food production, but not enough has been mentioned regarding the sale and consumption of food.

The food retail industry comprises foods sold at grocery stores, convenience stores, drug stores, mass merchandisers, and food service facilities. Supermarkets are of major concern due to the use of refrigeration to keep food cool and fresh, as seen in Fig 1. 

Fig 1: Refrigeration accounts for 70% of electricity usage in supermarkets (Source: EIA, 2012)

According to the EPA, grocery stores and supermarkets emit 1,383 metric tonnes of CO2 per year from energy consumption alone and another 1,556 metric tonnes of CO2 eq from leaked refrigerants on average. To be specific, one supermarket emits approximately 875 pounds of hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs) annually, which is equivalent to the carbon emissions generated by more than 300 cars. The leakage of refrigerant gases like HFC is a significant contributor to ozone layer depletion and air pollution due to its high global warming potential, thereby exacerbating climate change. 

Refrigeration is not the only reason that is responsible for the excessive GHG production from supermarkets. In the food retail sector, the sale and consumption of certain food groups, such as red meat in particular, also have adverse impacts on our environment.

Fig 2: Meat tops the table when it comes to greenhouse gas emissions (Source: Ritchie, 2020)

Referring to Fig 2, animal-based foods tend to have a higher footprint than plant-based. The chart also provides a breakdown of the emissions generated at each stage of the supply chain. Meat consumption and livestock farming release massive amounts of GHG via decaying manure, deforestation, and harmful fertilizers – not to mention the amount of electricity and energy consumed by supermarkets or other food retailers in order to store the meat. 

We spend a lot of time thinking about how food consumption affects our own health, but have we really thought about how food can also impact the health of others, including the environment? Perhaps it is time for humans to switch to alternative diets that are more sustainable. If there is reduced demand for meat, then supermarkets can cut down their usage of refrigeration, thus creating a win-win-win situation as the environment also benefits from reduced pollutants and emissions. 

 

Watch this video to find out more about the leaking havoc in supermarkets: https://vimeo.com/512589563

 

Bibliography

EIA. (n.d.). Leaking Havoc: Exposing Your Supermarket’s Invisible Climate Pollution. Retrieved from Climate-Friendly Supermarkets: https://www.climatefriendlysupermarkets.org/leaking-havoc#CS

Fran. (2021, May 11). Is eating meat bad for the environment? Retrieved from Future Learn: https://www.futurelearn.com/info/blog/eating-meat-bad-for-environment

Howell, B. (2022, October 31). Top 7 Most Polluting Industries in 2023. Retrieved from The Eco Experts: https://www.theecoexperts.co.uk/blog/top-7-most-polluting-industries

Putnam, H. (2021, May 15). Is Climate Change Food Retail’s Achilles Heel – or its Biggest Opportunity? Retrieved from Ratio Institute: https://ratioinstitute.org/is-climate-change-food-retails-achilles-heel-or-its-biggest-opportunity/#:~:text=The%20retail%20grocery%20sector%20has,CO2%20eq%20from%20leaked%20refrigerants.

Ritchie, H. (2020, January 24). You want to reduce the carbon footprint of your food? Focus on what you eat, not whether your food is local. Retrieved from Our World in Data: https://ourworldindata.org/food-choice-vs-eating-local

Srikaummun, N., Wongsapai, W., Damrongsak, D., Thepsaskul, W., Ritkrekkrai, C., Bunchuaidee, R., . . . Juprasert, P. (2021). Greenhouse gas mitigation and electricity saving potential from replacing refrigerants in Thai refrigerator. Energy Reports, 7(5): 98-104.