Plastic floating in the sea is costing human society “hundreds if not thousands of billions of dollars” every year, including loss of tourism revenue and reduced productivity. The “perceived risk” of the contamination of seafood with microplastic may also be detrimental to the seafood industry, whilst the presence of marine litter can impact physical and…

Could carbon labels make a come back? In a survey of 9,037 adults in seven countries (Canada, the Netherlands, Italy, the US, Sweden, the UK and Spain), 67% supported a “recognisable carbon label”. Conducted by YouGov, on behalf of the Carbon Trust, the poll also showed the potential brand benefits of tracking and displaying carbon…

Advanced satellite technology is being used to tackle deforestation in Africa linked to cocoa supply chains. Using satellite derived information from the UK Space Agency’s Forests 2020 Project, led by the space information company Ecometrica, the new Ecometrica Platform will provide a constantly-updated picture of West African forests, gathered from space, LiDAR aircraft and on…

Ten of the world’s largest seafood companies have committed to increase their efforts to strengthen sustainable practices. The Seafood Business for Ocean Stewardship (SeaBOS) initiative, which has been facilitated by Stockholm Resilience Centre, will address key topics affecting ocean health and seafood sustainability, including illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing and modern slavery. "The ocean cannot…

Costa Coffee is the UK’s most ethical coffee shop – at least in the eyes of consumers. An independent panel of 3,121 consumers was given a choice of 100 major UK coffee chains and asked: “In your view, which of the following coffee shops is the most ethical?” Costa, which has far more outlets than…

Meat analogues, such as lab-grown meat and plant-based meat alternatives, have the potential to help tackle climate change and improve health, but the growth of the market will depend on policy decisions that must be taken urgently, according to a new report. A briefing paper by the think tank Chatham House found that interest in…

Restaurants and caterers should steer well clear of the terms “meat-free”, “vegan” and “vegetarian” if they want to encourage customers to eat more plants, according to new research. Descriptions like “low fat” are also a no-no. Using provenance and flavour, however, helps sway diners to try the meals out. Compelling names and an emphasis on…

A new alliance including Procter & Gamble, Shell and Veolia will invest over US$1bn over the next five years to help end plastic waste in the environment. The cross value chain Alliance to End Plastic Waste (AEPW) is made up of 30 companies that make, use, sell, process, collect, and recycle plastics. Its aim is…