Findings from the Carbon Trust report March 2010.Consumers are more carbon conscious than ever but with research showing that the UK’s carbon footprint is 34% higher when measured by consumption it is vital businesses help their customers make positive choices.Tom Delay, Chief Executive of the Carbon Trust looks at how product carbon footprinting and labelling can help drive change.Many of the goods we buy and consume are imported from overseas, and measuring the UK’s carbon footprint by consumption rather than production - which includes the carbon emissions associated with the manufacture and transportation of these products - increases it by 34%.  Managing these ‘outsourced’ emissions has major implications for climate change policy, both internationally and domestically, but we should not underestimate the power of business and consumers to bring about change.Copenhagen has shown that we cannot and should not rely solely on governments to drive action to reduce global carbon emissions.  Leading global brands must take responsibility for decarbonising their own products by removing carbon from their supply chains.  In return for business action consumers must reward brands that produce low carbon products with their ‘low-carbon loyalty’ to drive increased demand.We know consumer appetite is strong - research carried out by the Carbon Trust earlier this year showed that 86% of consumers want their favourite brands to help combat the threat of climate change by reducing their carbon footprint and almost half are actively seeking information about the carbon impact of the products they buy.However consumers need help to turn goodwill into long term action and behaviour change.  Many people are uncertain about their own impacts and the steps they can take to deliver the greatest carbon reductions.  They lack consistent, credible information to enable them to make positive choices.Product carbon footprinting and labelling is a tool to deliver this, building understanding of the full carbon impact of consumption choices in everyday life.  It empowers businesses to manage the carbon footprint and energy costs of their supply chains and gives consumers the information to reduce their carbon footprint.Three years ago the Carbon Trust laid the foundations for a product footprinting methodology.  Published in October 2008 jointly with Defra and BSI British Foundation, PAS 2050 is the first international standard for companies to measure the carbon footprint of their products and services.Now the Carbon Trust Footprinting Company helps companies measure, reduce and communicate the lifecycle emissions of their products at every step of the supply chain, creating valuable energy and cost saving opportunities.It awards the Carbon Reduction Label to products that comply with the PAS 2050, the code of good practice and the certification requirements of Footprint ExpertTM to ensure consistency and maximise comparability in certified product carbon footprints.The Carbon Reduction Label currently appears on the products worth £2.7 billion in annual sales, including Morphy Richards Irons, Kingsmill Bread, Walkers Crisps, Tate & Lyle sugar, Silver Spoon sugar and Tesco milk, orange juice, lightbulbs and washing detergents.To find out more about the Carbon Reduction Label and how to start measuring the carbon footprinting of your products visit www.carbon-label.com

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