Contents
Biodiversity
The problem
Our food production has an adverse effect on the planet’s biodiversity. The number of plant and animal species is in alarming decline due to mankind’s use of pesticides, monocultures, deforestation and use of fishing tools that destroy life on the ocean floor.
Consupedia’s Data Source
EPI (Environmental Performance Index) ranks 180 countries by their national efforts to protect environment, strengthen ecosystems and stop climate change. The ranking is based on 40 indicators (e.g. increasing greenhouse gas emissions) divided into 11 categories (e.g. climate change). Consupedia’s biodiversity score rests upon data from the Biodiversity & Habitat category. EPI is updated annually by US universities Yale and Columbia in collaboration with Swiss foundation World Economic Forum. For more information, please see: https://epi.yale.edu/
When you choose products products with high Consupedia scores in the Biodiversity parameter you contribute to preserving Earth’s diversity of species. You also contribute to several UN Sustainable Development Goals such as 12 (Responsible Consumption and Production), 14 (Life Below Water) and 15 (Life on Land).
NOVA
The problem
Food can be processed in different ways before reaching the consumer. Food that has undergone considerable changes in an industrial way is often called ultra-processed food. There is a growing amount of research that suggests that a diet built on ultra-processed food (often calorie-dense and low in nutrients) can be associated with ill-health.
Consupedia’s Data Source
The NOVA system classifies food based on how processed it is. Category 1 foods are the least processed and include e.g. fresh or frozen fruits and vegetables, grains, milk, meat and fish. Category 2 includes oils, butter, margarine; while Category 3 includes pickled vegetables, smoked and cured meat and fish. Category 4 is also called ultra-processed food and includes e.g. cookies, energy drinks, sausage, frozen pizza and breakfast cereals. The NOVA system does not take into account the nutritional content of the products. NOVA has been developed by researchers at the University of Sao Paulo, Brazil. For more information, please see: https://educhange.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/09/NOVA-Classification-Reference-Sheet.pdf
När du väljer produkter med låga NOVA-värden undviker du de risker som kan följa med hög konsumtion av ultraprocessade livsmedel. Det är dock viktigt att komma ihåg att värdet inte säger något om produkternas näringsinnehåll. Det kan alltså finnas produkter i kategori 1 (obehandlade livsmedel) som är mindre hälsosamma än produkter i kategori 4 (ultraprocessade). Genom att äta hälsosamt bidrar du till FN:s hållbarhetsmål 3 (God hälsa och välbefinnande).
Nutri-Score
The problem
Our food choices have a profound effect on our health and wellbeing. An unhealthy diet increases the risk for diseases such as obesity, type 2-diabetes, cardiovascular disease and certain forms of cancer. The diseases cause great suffering for individuals and their families as well as society as a whole.
Consupedia’s Data Source
Nutri-Score classifies the nutritional content of food products on a five-point scale from A (dark green) to E (dark orange), where A is best and E is the worst from a health perspective. In its classification of food, Nutri-Score takes into account its content of ingredients whose intake needs to be limited to not have adverse health effects (e.g. total calories, saturated fats, sugar, salt) and ingredients that are beneficial to health (e.g. fiber, protein, fruit, vegetables, nuts and unsaturated fat). In Sweden, the system has received some criticism for not fully taking into account health benefits of wholegrain and polyunsaturated fats. Nutri-Score has been developed by independent researchers and is used in a number of European countries for labeling food products. The Nutri-Score brand is owned by the French Ministry of Social Affairs and Health. For more information, please see: https://www.santepubliquefrance.fr/en/nutri-score
When you choose products with high (green) Nutri-Score values, you are making a good choice for a healthy diet. The Keyhole label developed by the Swedish National Food Administration is another useful tool for finding healthy food. Adopting a healthy diet, you increase your chances of living a longer and healthier life. This way you also contribute to UN Sustainable Development Goal 3 (Good Health and Well-Being).
Health
The problem
Our food choices have a profound effect on our health and wellbeing. An unhealthy diet increases the risk for diseases such as obesity, type 2-diabetes, cardiovascular disease and certain forms of cancer. The diseases cause great suffering for individuals and their families as well as society as a whole.
Consupedia’s Data Source
The Consupedia Health Score is calculated by Consupedia based on the product’s Nutri-Score and is displayed on a scale from 1–100. The higher the score, the better the product is from a health perspective.
When you choose products with high Consupedia Health Scores, you are making a good choice for a healthy diet. The Keyhole label developed by the Swedish National Food Administration is another useful tool for finding healthy food. Adopting a healthy diet, you increase your chances of living a longer and healthier life. This way you also contribute to UN Sustainable Development Goal 3 (Good Health and Well-Being).
Antibiotic Resistance
The problem
Antibiotics are medicines that are used to treat bacterial infections. Unfortunately, bacteria can develop an ability to withstand the medicines, which makes them less effective or even useless. The more antibiotics in the environment, the greater the risk for antibiotic resistance among bacteria. An overuse of antibiotics for food-producing animals is an important driver for this development.
Consupedia’s Data Source
Värdet beräknas av Consupedia utifrån data om produktionslandets användning av antibiotika för djur. Datan kommer från en årlig rapport från projektet European Surveillance of Veterinary Antimicrobial Consumption (ESVAC), som drivs av den europeiska läkemedelsmyndigheten EMA (European Medicines Agency). Det är frivilligt för länderna att rapportera in data till projektet, som i dag omfattar data från 31 länder. Consupedias värde anges på en skala från 1–100. Ju högre värde desto mindre risk för att framställningen av produkten har bidragit till uppkomst av antibiotikaresistens. För mer information om ESVAC, se: https://www.ema.europa.eu/en/veterinary-regulatory/overview/antimicrobial-resistance/european-surveillance-veterinary-antimicrobial-consumption-esvac
When you choose products with high Consupedia scores in this parameter it is less likely that the production of your food has contributed to increased antibiotic resistance in society. This way you also contribute to UN Sustainable Development Goal 3 (Good Health and Well-Being).
Over-Consumption
The problem
Certain food ingredients can be harmful when consumed in excessive amounts.
Consupedia’s Data Source
The European Food Safety Agency (EFSA) and the Swedish Food Agency.
When you choose food that has an overconsumption alert, you should be mindful not to eat or drink too much of this food.
Allergens
The problem
Some food ingredients can cause allergic reactions.
Consupedia’s Data Source
Consupedia retrieves its ingredient information from Dabas, a digital platform for information on food products on the Swedish market. Consupedia warns its users when food products contain ingredients that may cause allergic reactions, such as milk protein, nuts, pollen, gluten, soy and peanuts. For more information, please see: https://dabas.com/
If you are allergic to any food ingredients you should take extra care when encountering allergy warnings from Consupedia. To be sure, you should always consult the product label as well.
Cross-Allergies
The problem
Some food ingredients may cause allergic reactions for individuals who are allergic to similar substances. For instance, individuals who are allergic to beech pollen can suffer reactions from eating apples or hazelnuts.
Consupedia’s Data Source
Consupedia retrieves its ingredient information from Dabas, a digital platform for information on food products on the Swedish market. Consupedia alerts its users when food products contain ingredients that may cause cross-allergic reactions. For more information, please see: https://dabas.com/
If you are allergic to any substances you should take extra care when encountering cross-allergy warnings from Consupedia. To be sure, you should always consult the product label as well.
Intolerances
The problem
Some food ingredients can cause discomfort for individuals who are intolerant to these ingredients. Being intolerant to an ingredient (e.g. lactose) is not the same as being allergic. Intolerance reactions often stem from the digestive system, do not involve the immune system and do not lead to life-threatening conditions.
Consupedia’s Data Source
Consupedia retrieves its ingredient information from Dabas, a digital platform for information on food products on the Swedish market. Consupedia alerts its users when food products contain ingredients that may cause intolerance reactions. For more information, please see: https://dabas.com/
If you are intolerant to any food ingredients you should take extra care when encountering intolerance warnings from Consupedia. To be sure, you should always consult the product label as well. To be sure, you should always consult the product label as well.
Equality
The problem
In a sustainable society resources and rights are equally available to all people. Unfortunately, this is far from reality today. Inequality causes suffering to a large part of the global population and is a recurring cause for conflict.
Consupedia’s Data Source
The source for the Consupedia Equality Score is the “Social Inclusion & Non-Discrimination” dimension in the Social Justice Index of the Bertelsmann Stiftung. The index includes six different dimensions of social justice: Poverty Prevention, Education Equity, Labor Market Access, Intergenerational Justice, Health, and Social Inclusion & Non-Discrimination. The Consupedia Equality score is based on the dimension Social Inclusion & Non-Discrimination. The Bertelsmann Stiftung is an independent German foundation with a purpose to foster research, culture and education. The score of the production country is given on a scale from 1–100. A higher score signifies a more equal society. For more information about the foundation, please see: https://www.bertelsmann-stiftung.de/en/home
When you choose products with high Equality Scores you promote trade with countries where conditions in society are more equal. You also contribute to several UN Sustainable Development Goals such as 1 (No Poverty), 2 (Zero Hunger), 3 (Good Health and Well-Being), 4 (Quality Education), 8 (Decent Work and Economic Growth), 10 (Reduced Inequalities), and 16 (Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions).
Animal Welfare
The problem
A significant part of our food contains ingredients from animals such as pigs, cows, chicken and sheep. Unfortunately the animals are often subjected to great suffering during their lives in captivity. For instance, this may be caused by confined cages, long transports and agonizing methods for slaughter.
Consupedia’s Data Source
Every year, the non-governmental organization World Animal Protection ranks 50 countries from their laws and regulations on animal protection. The Consupedia Animal Welfare Score is calculated from this Animal Protection Index. World Animal Protection is a global non-governmental organization working to strengthen the protection of animals around the world. For more information, please see: https://api.worldanimalprotection.org/
When you choose food products with high Animal Welfare Scores, any animals involved in the production of your food have been better protected by laws and regulations than animals in low-scoring countries. While there is no UN Sustainable Development Goal explicitly dedicated to animal welfare, favoring products with high Animal Welfare Scores will indirectly contribute to several Goals such as 12 (Responsible Consumption and Production) and 14 (Life Below Water).
The problem
Social justice is about to what extent people can reach their full potential in the society that they live in. It can be about access to education, work and healthcare. A socially just society is built upon equality and a shared responsibility for the well-being and opportunities of all people. There is no country that can be said to be fully fair and in many places social injustice runs deep between different parts of the population.
Consupedia’s Data Source
The Consupedia Social Justice Score is based on the score of the production country in the Social Justice Index of the Bertelsmann Stiftung. The Bertelsmann Stiftung is an independent German foundation with a purpose to foster research, culture and education. The score of the production country is given on a scale from 1–100. A higher score signifies a more socially just society. For more information about the foundation, please see: https://www.bertelsmann-stiftung.de/en/home
When you choose food products with high Social Justice Scores you foster trade with countries that work actively for a more socially just society. You also contribute to several UN Sustainable Development Goals such as 3 (Good Health and Well-Being), 10 (Reduced Inequalities), 16 (Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions).
Worker Rights
The problem
Farming, fishing, breeding and keeping animals – the production of our food is a global industry employing a large proportion of the global population. According to the International Labor Organization, 27 percent of the global workforce were working in agriculture in 2019. For many, working conditions are poor and demanding. Good conditions not only entail a safe working environment, but also fair pay, reasonable work hours, a right to engage in trade unions and employment security.
Consupedia’s Data Source
The Consupedia Worker Rights Score states the score of the production country in the annual report from Amfori, an international member organization for transparent and sustainable trade. The score builds upon the World Bank’s indicators for governance: Voice and Accountability, Political Stability and Absence of Violence/Terrorism, Government Effectiveness, Regulatory Quality, Rule of Law. A higher value means better working conditions in the production country. For more information, please see: https://www.amfori.org/
When you choose food products with high Worker Rights Scores, it is less likely that your food has been produced by people working in poor conditions. You also support trade with countries with better working conditions and contribute to several UN Sustainable Development Goals such as 3 (Good Health and Well-Being), 8 (Decent Work and Economic Growth), 10 (Reduced Inequalities), 12 (Responsible Consumption and Production), 16 (Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions).
Child Labor
The problem
In the poorest countries of the world, more than one in four children carry out work that is harmful for their health and development.
Consupedia’s Data Source
The Consupedia Child Labor Score is based on data from the International Labor Organization (ILO). The ILO definition of child labor is: “Work that deprives children (any person under 18) of their childhood, their. potential and their dignity, and that is harmful to their physical and/or mental development.” The Consupedia Score is given on a scale from 1–100. Higher scores means lower risk for child labor in the production country. For more information, please see: Statistics on child labour – ILOSTAT, https://ilostat.ilo.org/topics/child-labour/
When you choose food products with high Consupedia Child Labor Scores, you lower the risk that child labor is involved in the production of your food, and support trade with countries with low risk for child labor. You also contribute to several UN Sustainable Development Goals such as 3 (Good Health and Well-Being), 8 (Decent Work and Economic Growth), 10 (Reduced Inequalities), 12 (Responsible Consumption and Production).
Land Use
The problem
According to data from the UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), more than half of the planet’s habitable land is used for agriculture. As humans are taking up more and more space for our food production, other species are losing their natural habitat.
Consupedia’s Data Source
The Consupedia Land Use Score is calculated based on source material from Our World in Data (Poore, J., & Nemecek, T. (2018). Reducing food’s environmental impacts through producers and consumers OurWorldinData.org/environmental-impacts-of-food). The score of the production country is given on a scale from 1–100. A higher score means that less land needs to be used for producing the product.
When you choose food products with high Consupedia Land Use Scores, you favor foods that require less land to be produced. You also contribute to several UN Sustainable Development Goals such as 2 (Zero Hunger), 12 (Responsible Consumption and Production), 13 (Climate Action), 15 (Life on Land).
Pesticides Use
The problem
In many parts of the world, chemicals that are harmful for people as well as the environment are being used in the production of food. While several of the most harmful pesticides are banned in Sweden and the EU, they are still being used in low-income countries where regulations are less strict.
Consupedia’s Data Source
The Consupedia Pesticides Use Score is calculated based on statistics from the UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO). The score of the production country is given on a scale from 1–100. A higher value means less pesticides are being used in the production country.
For more information, please see: Statistics | Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (fao.org)
När du väljer matvaror med höga poäng i den här kategorin är det lägre risk att skadliga kemikalier använts i framställandet av din mat. Du bidrar även till flera av FN:s hållbarhetsmål såsom 3 (god hälsa och välbefinnande), 6 (rent vatten och sanitet för alla), 8 (anständiga arbetsvillkor och ekonomisk tillväxt), 12 (hållbar konsumtion och produktion), 14 (hav och marina resurser) och 15 (ekosystem och biologisk mångfald).
Fertilizer Use
The problem
Artificial fertilizers plays a fundamental role in global food production. However, as large amounts of nutrients (mainly nitrogen and phosphorous) leak from agricultural land into freshwater systems and oceans, it leads to an over-fertilization which causes severe damage to the environment.
Consupedia’s Data Source
The Consupedia Fertilizer Use Score is calculated from statistics from the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations. The score of the production country is given on a scale from 1–100. Higher values indicate a lower use of fertilizers in the production country.
For more information, please see: Statistics | Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (fao.org)
When you choose food products with high Consupedia Fertilizer Use Scores, there is a lower risk that your consumption contributes to over-fertilization of the environment. You also contribute to several UN Sustainable Development Goals such as 6 (Clean Water and Sanitation), 8 (Decent Work and Economic Growth), 12 (Responsible Consumption and Production), 13 (Climate Action), 14 (Life Below Water), 15 (Life on Land). 14 (Life Below Water), 15 (Life on Land).
Climate (CO2e/kg)
The problem
Food is a major driver for greenhouse gas emissions and climate change. According to the UN, about one third of all greenhouse gas emissions caused by human activities comes from our production, transportation, preparation, consumption and destruction of food.
Consupedia’s Data Source
The Consupedia CO2e-value (carbon dioxide equivalents) per kg product is calculated based on data on the product’s ingredients in the RISE Food Climate Database and the Food Climate List from the Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences (SLU). For more information, please see: https://www.ri.se/en/what-we-do/expertises/rise-food-climate-database
When you choose food products with low CO2e-values, you contribute to lowering the climate impact from our food system. You also contribute to UN Sustainable Development Goal 13 (Climate Action), and – considering the fundamental role of climate change for the whole planet – just about all the other SDG:s as well.
Climate Score
The problem
Food is a major driver for greenhouse gas emissions and climate change. According to the UN, about one third of all greenhouse gas emissions caused by human activities comes from our production, transportation, preparation, consumption and destruction of food.
Consupedia’s Data Source
The Consupedia Climate Score is calculated based on data on the product’s ingredients in the RISE Food Climate Database and the Food Climate List from the Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences (SLU). The score is given on a scale from 1–100. A higher score signifies a lower climate impact. For more information, please see: https://www.ri.se/en/what-we-do/expertises/rise-food-climate-database
When you choose food products with high Climate Score values, you contribute to lowering the climate impact from our food system. You also contribute to UN Sustainable Development Goal 13 (Climate Action), and – considering the fundamental role of climate change for the whole planet – just about all the other SDG:s as well.
Water Footprint
The problem
As stated by the United Nations: “Water is at the core of sustainable development and is critical for socio-economic development, healthy ecosystems and for human survival itself.” Needless to say, we must use this fundamental resource wisely. According to the OECD, agriculture irrigation accounts for 70% of humanity’s water use. If not managed properly, this can lead to devastating effects on the environment.
Consupedia’s Data Source
The Consupedia Water Footprint Score is calculated on data from the Water Footprint Network, based on both production country and ingredients. The score is given on a scale from 1–100. Higher scores signify a lower amount of water needed for the production of the food product. For more information, please see: https://waterfootprint.org
When you choose food products with high Water Footprint Scores, your consumption requires less of the world’s water. You also contribute to several UN Sustainable Development Goals such as 2 (Zero Hunger), 3 (Good Health and Well-Being), 6 (Clean Water and Sanitation), 12 (Responsible Consumption and Production), 14 (Life Below Water), 15 (Life on Land).
Packaging
The problem
Food packaging has an important impact on the environment. In part due to sustainability aspects of the production and life cycle of the packaging material (e.g. plastics made from fossil fuels), but also from how it enables or hinders the consumer to access and use all the food in the container.
Consupedia’s Data Source
Based on packaging material and design, Consupedia provides guidance for sustainable handling of different food containers. The source material comes from a collaboration project between Consupedia and RISE Research Institutes of Sweden.
Regardless of the packaging material and design, always make sure to empty it to the best of your abilities. Minimizing food waste and recycling packaging according to the information from the manufacturer are two important consumer sustainability actions.
Transport
The problem
Our food is a global commodity, constantly being traded and transported from one end of the world to another. A recent scientific study suggests that transporting ingredients and food products is responsible for nearly one-fifth of all greenhouse gas emissions in the food system.
Consupedia’s Data Source
The Consupedia Transport Score is calculated from how far the food product needs to travel to reach Sweden. The score is given on a scale from 1–100. A higher value signifies a shorter transport distance.
When you choose food products with high Transport Scores, your food will have travelled shorter distances to reach Sweden. Food products produced in Sweden have the highest Transport Scores. You also contribute to UN Sustainable Development Goal 13 (Fight Climate Change).
Social Justice