Carbon Neutral Digestive Initiative (CANDI)

In 2017, Sweden passed legislation that legally binds it to reach net-zero emissions by 2045. To help achieve Sweden’s vision to become a net-zero emitter, a shift is urgently needed. This will require the joint efforts of consumers, retailers and producers to:

• Consume food that leads to the emission of less CO2e per kilo, by moving away from a meat- and dairy-intensive diet towards a more locally produced, plant-based and seasonal diet; and/or
• Produce food that leads to the emission of less CO2e per kilo consumed – either by moving away from high emissions-related produce, or by introducing innovative production processes that lead to reduced levels of CO2e emissions and increased circularity in the production chain.

To this end, the CANDI project’s overarching aim is to increase the uptake of food with lower environmental impacts, targeting both consumers and actors along the product supply chain.

The project aims to provide consumers with easily digestible, comprehensive information on the environmental impact of the food they purchase at the moment of decision making; and, second, by working with retailers, producers and authorities to assess the environmental impact of the food currently available on the Swedish market, the effects of moving towards a more sustainable diet and the role of schemes that could offset negative impacts.

The project has three stages, with gateway decisions after each stage that allow opportunities to refocus the project’s content and approach.

This report presents findings from the first stage, which aimed to develop a clearer direction and idea of how to help Sweden become more climate neutral, and to have built up a committed and collaborative partnership on how to share carbon emission levels with consumers at the point of decision making.

The CANDI project is funded by Vinnova.