FreshProducePEFCR: 2nd public consultation launched

The Technical Secretariat (TS) of the FreshProducePEFCR is developing technical rules for calculating the environmental footprint of fruits and vegetables. It is part of Freshfel´s Environmental Footprint Initiative, it invites all sector representatives to provide their feedback on the second draft of the PEFCR document.

Public initiative to enhance the sector’s sustainability

In light of EU environmental footprint accountability requirements as well as increasing transparency demands from the supply chain and consumers, there is a growing need for a standardized environmental footprint methodology for the fresh produce sector. Freshfel Europe and its members took the leadership on this and embarked on the Environmental Footprint Initiative. The goal is to develop together a fresh fruit and vegetable environmental footprint methodology (FreshProducePEFCR), database, and digital tool that are broadly accepted by the industry, stakeholders, and consumers. Aligned with the Product Environmental Footprint (PEF) methodology as recommended by the EU, the initiative will help to enhance the sector’s sustainability and maintain its competitiveness.

2 case studies provided with EU and overseas produce

After processing the feedback from the 1st Public consultation the technical secretariat of Freshfel (TS) completed 2 case studies, with Belgium peppers and Brasilian mangoes, in order to test the implementation of the FreshProducePEFCR in practice. Among the many minor changes that were also made since the first consultation, added to guidance has been elaborated on: the use of geothermal heat, the use of heat from third partners (ex. residual heat, or heat as a co-products), alignment with growing media environmental footprint guidelines V2.0, how to deal with fresh cuts (memo). Additionally, a data-collection was developed (ex . cycle inventory) template and “overview of datasets to be used”, in order for the PEFCR to be more readable.

FreshProducePEFCR to be enforced globally

The TS deeply invites the sector to provide its feedback on the updated technical rules for calculating the environmental footprint of fruits and vegetables. “With the opening of the 2nd Public Consultation for 4 weeks until February 10th we want to ensure different perspectives are considered in the development process” said Gil Kaufman from Freshfel secretariat. “We especially encourage sector experts and LCA experts with sound expertise in the fruit and vegetable sector to submit their feedback. To invite the submission of responses to the Consultation”. The objective is the FreshProducePEFCR to become later enforced publicly at European level by adoption from the European Commission, later at global level as GLOBALGAP add-on. Freshfel is also working on the practical implementation of the PEFCR tool, so it can be easily used by individual compagnies.

Available documents

The following files are provided since the opening of second public consultation, for comment: second draft FreshProducePEFCR and template to collect comments (in Excel). For information are also available: the second PEF Representative Product report for Fruits Report, the second PEF Representative Product report for Vegetables, note for the attention of PEFCR public consultation commentators prepared by DG Environment of the European Commission, presentation from last webinar of January 13th. It counted with the participation of Jeroen Weststrate from Wageningen University, Nikki Hulzebos from the Dutch Fresh Produce enter, Frédéric Rosseneu from Greenyard, Philippe Binard from Freshfel. Comments in the Excel file will have to be submitted to FreshProducePEFCR@wur.nl by Monday, 10 February 2025 at 17:00 CET. 

For more information please write here.