Food brands flounder in new green listing

A new index that ranks UK grocery brands according to their impact on the environment has listed only food and beverage brands in the ten worst performing products – which the greenest goods included four detergents.

The system, devised by consultancy Envirup in collaboration with researchers from the University of Nottingham, looked at a range of eco-factors, including packaging, energy needs, and ingredient sourcing (including food miles and fair trade).

Products could receive a total score of up to 590 points. The highest scoring product out of 100 assessed was Persil, with 385 points – still only enough for it to receive a grade C.

The top ten greenest brands were deemed to be:

Persil Laundry (detergent)
PG Tips (tea bags)
Finish (detergent)
Volvic (water)
Kellogg's Special K (breakfast cereal)
Surf (detergent)
Ribena (beverage)
Quality Street (confectionery)
Ariel (detergent)
Evian (bottled water)

The lowest scorers were:

91. Red Bull (energy drink)
92. Clover Spreads
93. Richmond Sausages
94. John West Canned Fish
95. Warbutons (bread)
96. Young's Chilled Fish
97. Cathedral City (cheese)
98. Muller Corner (yoghurt)
99. Muller Light 100 (yoghurt)
100. Haribo Gums & Jellies (confectionery)