ENVIROSCORE

RESPONSIBLE CONSUMPTION AND ENVIRONMENTAL TRACTION IN THE BASQUE AGRI-FOOD CHAIN

The Farm to Fork Strategy, which is part of the European Green Deal, details the need for producers and distributors to offer products with a smaller environmental footprint, as well as the EU's intention to promote environmental communication schemes to consumers. Among the factors that hinder more responsible purchasing, the lack of information on processes and the product stands out above all, which is why the majority of consumers (80%) consider that product labels should include information on product sustainability. Furthermore, consumer choices towards products with lower environmental impacts could encourage the food industry to improve its practices and motivate producers to be part of the solution to the climate crisis. A clear example is the EU energy label (EU 2017/1369): 90% of the refrigerators and washing machines sold have achieved a higher A rating since its introduction up until 2017.

Fostering more sustainable diets while driving the food chain towards more efficient production is in line with the targets of Sustainable Development Goal 12, and ENVIROSCORE, an environmental labelling system based on the Product Environmental Footprint developed by AZTI and KU Leuven, focuses on this. The project, which aims to validate the use of ENVIROSCORE, is led by EROSKI, the leading distribution company in the Basque Country, and has been carried out with the AZTI Technology Centre as a subcontractor, as well as with the collaboration of EUSKABER (poultry cooperative), ARROYABE (canning company), S.A.T. KARRANTZA and GRUPO TGT (milk production and packaging).