Food giants British Sugar, Coors Brewers and Danone Waters are among the latest companies to agree to test the standard underpinning the Carbon Trust's carbon footprint label.

They are among seven new partners who have agreed to trial the standard, which measures greenhouse emissions generated in making a product.

They are joined by fruit supplier Colors, food company Mey Selections, the Continental Clothing Company and Morphy Richards. British Sugar has put forward its granulated white sugar for testing, Coors its Carling lager brand while Danone has chosen the Evian and Volvic mineral water brands.

Colors and food company Mey Selections will also be piloting the Carbon Trust's carbon reduction label itself, which has previously been used by Innocent, Boots and Walkers. This shows the carbon emissions generated in producing a product - and indicates a company has succeeded in reducing this.

This is the third wave of companies to sign up to the initiative, joining major brand names such as Müller, Coca-Cola and Cadbury Schweppes.

The standard - PAS 2050 - is now on trial with about 75 product ranges and 20 companies. "The initiative is expanding month by month with more and more companies wanting to work with us," said Tom Delay, Carbon Trust chief executive.

As well as agreeing to test PAS 2050, companies in the trial are required to sign a pledge to reduce their emissions in two years in all the products on test.

"What we wanted was a credible and verifiable footprint calculation methodology and one that would enable us to accurately determine the sources of emissions across the chain, from farm right through to retailer," said David Farrell, director of group strategy at Colors. "The Carbon Trust has provided us with the guidance and tools to achieve this."

Mey Selections, which has put three products forward for trial, said the project reflected its commitment to using sustainable standards of farming, fishing and food production.

The Big Interview p34

Topics