The Cost of Food Transportation

In the last fifty years, food production and supply chain systems have changed dramatically on a global scale. As identified in a report released last month by the United Kingdom’s Department for the Environment, Food and Rural affairs (DEFRA), some of the most striking changes have been:
- Increases in global food trade (imports and exports);
- A concentration of the food supply base towards fewer, larger suppliers;
- Changes in food transport and delivery patterns, with an increased trend towards using larger, heavy goods vehicles and rerouting products to regional distribution centers; and
- Changes in consumer behavior from frequent food shopping (on foot) in local stores to weekly shopping (by car) in larger supermarkets.

A direct consequence of these changes in our global food system is the dramatic increase in “food miles” or the distance our food travels from the point of production to the point of consumption. The rise in food miles, which is calculated by measuring transport via air freight, land, and sea as well as the miles driven by consumers, is further associated with a number of social, environmental and economic costs. These include greenhouse gas emissions, congestion, accidents, road maintenance costs, noise and air pollution.

In total, it was estimated in the DEFRA Report that the transportation of food cost UK taxpayers approximately £9bn, with £5bn of this linked to road congestion, £2bn to road accidents, £1bn to pollution and about £1bn to other social and environmental issues. In addition, food transportation also resulted in the release of 18 million metric tons of CO2 emissions, which is almost 6 per cent higher than the previous year. Despite recent efforts of the government and private sector to reduce food miles, however, both costs and emissions appear to be reaching record levels.

Improving food sustainability
As consumers, we can help to reduce food miles and minimize the negative impact on sustainability by increasing our awareness of where our food comes from and how it is produced. One way to do this is to buy more locally produced food and to consume fresh fruits and vegetables that are in season (when possible). The next time you buy an apple, for instance, look for country of origin labels to see where it is produced: Chile? New Zealand? Washington? Chances are that you can find an apple produced in your own country and perhaps even your own state/province. Therefore, if you have a choice, help support the local farmers and buy local. Food produced closer to home is usually more fresh, flavorful and nutrient-rich than food that travels days and even weeks to reach your local supermarket anyway. However, if there are no country of origin labels available in at the local grocer or retailer, ask the store manager to provide such labels in the future. Some food retailers may even have sustainable food procurement policies in place and should be able to provide you with information about their food sourcing practices as well.

In addition to buying local products from the supermarket, you can also try shopping at local farmers’ markets, food stands, and food cooperatives or even try joining a Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) program where food boxes are delivered to you door on a regularly scheduled basis. With the variety of options available, it is now easier than ever to exercise your right as a consumer and to make informed decisions about the food you are consuming and the impact you are having on the environment.

Sources:
DEFRA. “The Validity of Food Miles as an Indicator of Sustainable Development: Final Report”. July 2005. Available http://statistics.defra.gov.uk/esg/reports/foodmiles/execsumm.pdf

Food Routes Network. http://www.foodroutes.org/
The Leopold Center for Sustainable Agriculture. http://www.leopold.iastate.edu/index.htm