15 July 2005
Transporting food - from field to plate - has a growing impact on road congestion, traffic accidents and noise pollution, according to a new report.
The environmental and social costs are estimated at £9 billion per year, says the report published today by Defra.
Consumers travel an average of 898 miles a year by car to shop for food, while the quantity of consumables transported by heavy goods vehicles has doubled since 1974.
Food transport now accounts for 25 per cent of all HGV vehicle kilometres travelled in the UK, Defra say.
The report shows that, in general, higher levels of vehicle activity leads to greater environmental damage.
Food transport produced 19 million tonnes of carbon dioxide in 2002 of which 10 million tonnes were emitted in the UK, representing 1.8 per cent of the total annual UK CO2 emissions.
Food minister Lord Bach said:
"This study provides some pointers for consumers. For example, internet buying and home delivery can cut vehicle kilometres and reduce road congestion.
"It is clear that organic and seasonally-available food can reduce environmental impacts but that these can be offset by the way they are transported to the consumer’s home."
The industry is being asked to achieve a 20 per cent reduction in the cost of transportation by 2012.
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