Freshfel Europe opens second public consultation on the FreshProducePEFCR initiative.

The Technical Secretariat (TS) of the FreshProducePEFCR, which is developing technical rules for calculating the environmental footprint of fruits and vegetables as part of Freshfel´s Environmental Footprint Initiative, is organizing an open webinar to mark the launch of the project´s 2nd Public Consultation.

130 participants on the 1rst consultation

The 1st Public Consultation was open for 4 weeks in April 2024 and generated great interest among stakeholders, with 129 total comments (between general, editorial, and technical feedback) from 90 unique responses. The March 26 open webinar to promote the Consultation also gathered more than 130 registered participants. The increased visibility of the project to encourage the submission of responses secured a variety of feedback from the sector. The TS has carefully reviewed the input received and evaluated how the draft FreshProducePEFCR can improve from it, addressing the submissions of each respondent.

2 case studies completed

After processing the feedback from the 1st Public Consultation, as well as having completed 2 case studies to test the implementation of the FreshProducePEFCR in practice, the TS would like to once again invite the sector to provide its feedback on the updated technical rules for calculating the environmental footprint of fruits and vegetables.

The developers of the PEFCR will open the 2nd Public Consultation on 13 January 2025 for 4 weeks. With this Public Consultation, Freshfel Europe ensures different perspectives are considered in the development process. 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, an open webinar is organized on the same day.

calculating the environmental footprint of fresh fruits and vegetables

Please register for this webinar at https://form.jotform.com/243312333740345. A link to the Zoom meeting will be sent ahead of the event.

FreshProducePEFCR webinar has 5 presentations on its program:

1. Why develop PEFCR for fresh fruits and vegetables? (Gil Kaufman, Freshfel Europe)
2. How are we are developing PEFCR? (Nikki Hulzebos, Dutch Fresh Produce Centre)

Objectives of Freshfel’s Environmental Footprint Initiative

The publication of the FreshProducePEFCR in Q1 of 2025 will address the growing need for a standardized environmental footprint methodology for the fresh produce sector, in light of the EU environmental footprint accountability requirements and the increasing transparency demands from the supply chain and consumers. Freshfel Europe and its members have embarked on the Environmental Footprint Initiative 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. The objective of the Initiative, which is aligned with the Product Environmental Footprint (PEF) methodology as recommended by the EU, is to enhance the sector’s sustainability and maintain its competitiveness.

Freshfel Europe members participating in the Freshfel Environmental Footprint Initiative include Ailimpo, ANPP, Apeel Sciences, Assomela, Bama Gruppen, Bayer AG, BVEO, COLEAD, Dole plc, Greenyard, Fresh Produce Centre, IG International, Interfel and VBT. Freshfel Europe itself is acting as the sector representative within the Initiative, with support and cooperation from the European Sprouted Seeds Association (ESSA) and Growing Media Europe.

Technical Secretariat FreshProducePEFCR:

Freshfel Europe (Chair)

Wageningen Economic Research (TS Support – Lead)

Dutch Fresh Produce Centre (GroentenFruit Huis)

Greenyard

Dole PLC

Blonk Sustainability (TS Support)

PRé Sustainability (TS Support)

For more information please write here.