Scientists hope that a scoring system will lead manufacturers to compete over sustainability.
Ryan Holmes of the catering group Compass has used the Oxford method to reduce the environmental impact of its workplace meals
Many consumers want to know how their weekly food shop affects the planet, even though rising prices will likely be a more immediate concern for most. "It fills a huge gap. Manufacturers, caterers and retailers have targets for reaching net zero [emissions] and they don't have the tools they need to get there."
The team developed an algorithm to calculate an eco-score for the environmental impact of individual food and drink products.Its Culinary Director for Business and Industry Ryan Holmes, told BBC News that use of the algorithm "made us think about how we approach sustainability within the workplace" as the company sought to achieve net zero emissions by 2030.
"That's OK, because meat has the biggest greenhouse gas emissions, but you miss a massive amount in multi-ingredient foods which had previously had no reduction targets based on them whatsoever."The food firm COOK is assessing whether eco-labelling would help its customers move to a more sustainable diet