Carbon Labelling

Carbon labelling is the practice of displaying the carbon footprint of a product or service — usually measured in kilograms or grams of CO₂ equivalent (CO₂e) — on its packaging, website, or marketing materials.

FAQs

What is Carbon Labelling?

The goal is to show how much greenhouse gas emissions were produced across the product’s lifecycle, from raw materials to production, transport, use, and disposal. It’s a way to give customers and stakeholders more transparency, and to help businesses demonstrate progress on sustainability.

Carbon labels can:

Show the total carbon footprint of a product
Compare the impact of different products
Help guide consumer or procurement decisions
Increase accountability across supply chains
They’re not currently regulated in most countries — but pressure is growing for standardisation and third-party verification.

1. Why would a business use carbon labels?

Carbon labelling helps businesses communicate their environmental impact in a clear, credible way. It can build trust with customers, support green marketing claims, and differentiate products in a competitive market.

2. Is carbon labelling mandatory?

Not yet — in most countries, carbon labelling is still voluntary. But it's gaining traction, especially in industries like food, fashion, and retail. Some public procurement processes or large buyers may also ask for emissions data on products.

3. What kind of businesses use carbon labels?

Any business can use them, but they’re most common among:

Food and beverage companies
Fashion brands
Consumer goods manufacturers
B2B suppliers responding to sustainability questionnaires

4. What does a carbon label actually show?

Most carbon labels show the product’s total carbon footprint in grams or kilograms of CO₂e. Some include breakdowns (e.g. packaging vs transport), comparisons (e.g. “50% lower carbon”), or QR codes linking to more detail.

5. How do you calculate a product’s carbon footprint?

You need lifecycle data — from materials, manufacturing, shipping, usage, and disposal. This is usually done using Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) tools, or platforms like Seedling that use hybrid methods to balance accuracy and efficiency.

6. Can carbon labels be trusted?

That depends on how they’re created. The most credible carbon labels are:

Based on verified data
Aligned with global standards (like the GHG Protocol or ISO 14067)
Reviewed by a third party

Some businesses also use certification partners (like Carbon Trust or Soil Association) to validate their labels.

7. Are carbon labels confusing for customers?

Not if done well. The key is to keep it simple — clear numbers, context (e.g. “This product emits 1.2kg CO₂e”), and links to more info if needed. Many businesses use carbon labelling as a way to engage and educate their customers, rather than overwhelm them.

8. How often do carbon labels need to be updated?

Best practice is to review them annually — or whenever there’s a major change in your product, suppliers, or manufacturing process. This helps ensure transparency and avoids greenwashing.