Bristol restaurant The Canteen has introduced menus that prioritise a meal’s carbon footprints over its calorie count. As part of a first-of-its-kind trial in Bristol, the menus at the Stokes Croft venue encourage diners to consider the impact that their food choices have on the planet.
In partnership with UK vegan charity Viva! and carbon calculations and labelling provider My Emissions, The Canteen’s trial follows the recent legislation that requires restaurants around the country to include calories on their menus in a bid to combat obesity. It applies only to food business with more than 250 employees, mainly affecting national chains.
Viva! is calling for menus to prioritise carbon footprint labelling over calories as a matter of urgency as the climate crisis grows. The charity says meat, dairy, fish and eggs have a considerably higher negative impact on the planet than vegan alternatives, and it is campaigning for more awareness of the link between food choices and the environment.
READ MORE: First look at brewery and bar on Bristol industrial estate
They suggest displaying carbon calculations on menus is significantly more important to the health of the UK and the planet than calories at this moment in time, and that the calorie requirement is proof that the government can implement industry-wide rules to inform people on their eating habits.
The charity is calling on the government to step in and make carbon labelling mandatory, starting with local restaurants. It claims that one UK-produced beef burger can generate as much as 3,050g C02 per serving, compared to 300g C02 from its vegan alternative.
The new evening menu at The Canteen features a range of vegan dishes, each with its carbon calculation printed next to it. These include beetroot and carrot pakora with coriander yoghurt (16g CO2) and baked Somerset brie with macerated gooseberries and bread, which has a CO2 calculation of 334g.
“It is imperative that we act now if we want to save our planet, and it’s clear that a vegan diet is the best way for an individual to make a difference,” said Laura Hellwig, managing director at Viva! “Raising awareness of the carbon footprints from the production of meat, dairy, fish and eggs is crucial – a lot of people have no idea that eating one beef burger can be as damaging as driving the average UK petrol car for 10 miles.
“We’ve partnered with My Emissions, as well as The Canteen, to understand just how much impact carbon labels on our menus can have and to help diners realise the connection between what they’re eating and the environment. We’re really pleased to have partnered with The Canteen.
"It’s been interesting to see the responses from different restaurants. Unsurprisingly, those with meat on the menu have so far declined to take part which, we believe, is due to them knowing that meat-based dishes will have a considerably higher carbon footprint than vegan options.”
Matthew Isaacs, co-founder of My Emissions, said: “Climate change is the problem of our generation, and eating more low carbon food is one of the best ways we can reduce our impact on the planet. We hope our partnership with The Canteen and Viva! will inspire more local businesses to adopt food carbon labelling and help their customers make more sustainable choices.”
Matthew Harris, head chef at The Canteen, said: “Including carbon footprints on menus is a positive step in encouraging people to be more aware of the impact of their choices.
“We are delighted with the carbon calculations of our menu, made up of predominantly vegan dishes, showing the importance of sustainable choices. If carbon labelling was rolled out across the UK, we’d see restaurants and customers encouraged to make better decisions around the food they consume.”
READ MORE: Stokes Croft restaurant wins praise from Sunday Times critic
READ MORE: Bristol's Chilli Daddy restaurant crowned as best in the South West in Uber Eats award
READ MORE: I tried the veggie breakfast from Crafty Egg's new Fishponds Café and it's the best in Bristol
READ MORE: Meet the mother-and-son team bringing Balkan food to Bristol with five-course supper club
READ MORE: Review: I visited Bristol's oldest bakery with stellar food and shocking prices
