A quantitative environmental impact assessment of Australian ultra-processed beverages and impact reduction scenarios
Abstract Objective: Ultra-processed beverages (UPBs) have known adverse impacts on health, but their impact on the environment is not well understood across different environmental indicators. This study aimed to quantify the environmental impacts of water-based UPBs and bottled waters sold in Aus...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Cambridge University Press
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| Series: | Public Health Nutrition |
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| Online Access: | https://www.cambridge.org/core/product/identifier/S1368980025000187/type/journal_article |
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| author | Kim Anastasiou Michalis Hadjikakou Ozge Geyik Gilly A. Hendrie Phillip Baker Richard Pinter Mark Lawrence |
| author_facet | Kim Anastasiou Michalis Hadjikakou Ozge Geyik Gilly A. Hendrie Phillip Baker Richard Pinter Mark Lawrence |
| author_sort | Kim Anastasiou |
| collection | DOAJ |
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Abstract
Objective:
Ultra-processed beverages (UPBs) have known adverse impacts on health, but their impact on the environment is not well understood across different environmental indicators. This study aimed to quantify the environmental impacts of water-based UPBs and bottled waters sold in Australia and assess the impacts of various scenarios which may reduce such impacts in the future.
Design:
This study presents a quantitative environmental impact assessment of a major sub-category of UPBs (water-based UPBs, including soft drinks, energy drinks, cordials, fruit drinks) and non-UPBs (bottled waters) in Australia. Alternative mitigation scenarios based on existing health and environmental targets were also modelled using sales projections for 2027. Sales data from Euromonitor International were matched with environmental impact data from peer-reviewed lifecycle assessment databases. Environmental impact indicators included greenhouse gas emissions, land use, eutrophication potential, acidification potential, water scarcity and plastic use.
Setting:
The Australian beverage supply in 2022 and projected sales for 2027.
Participants:
N/A
Results:
Environmental impacts of UPBs were higher than bottled waters. UPBs accounted for 81-99% of total environmental impacts, partly driven by the volume of sales. Reformulation, reducing UPB consumption and increasing recycling all led to meaningful reductions in environmental impacts but with diverse effects across different environmental indicators. The largest reductions occurred when policy scenarios were combined to represent a suite of policy actions which aimed to meet health and environmental targets (30-82% environmental savings).
Conclusions:
The results indicate that implementing a suite of policies which act to target multiple drivers of environmental harm are likely to lead to the most environmental benefits.
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| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-51968cf1936e4a78ad1026fe0d57eb39 |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 1368-9800 1475-2727 |
| language | English |
| publisher | Cambridge University Press |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Public Health Nutrition |
| spelling | doaj-art-51968cf1936e4a78ad1026fe0d57eb392025-02-04T08:56:28ZengCambridge University PressPublic Health Nutrition1368-98001475-272711910.1017/S1368980025000187A quantitative environmental impact assessment of Australian ultra-processed beverages and impact reduction scenariosKim Anastasiou0https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3338-5117Michalis Hadjikakou1Ozge Geyik2Gilly A. Hendrie3Phillip Baker4Richard Pinter5Mark Lawrence6https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6899-3983School of Exercise and Nutrition Sciences, Deakin University, Burwood, VIC, AustraliaSchool of Life and Environmental Sciences, Deakin University, Geelong, VIC, AustraliaSchool of Life and Environmental Sciences, Deakin University, Geelong, VIC, AustraliaHealth and Biosecurity, Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO), Adelaide, South Australia, AustraliaSchool of Exercise and Nutrition Sciences, Deakin University, Burwood, VIC, Australia Institute for Physical Activity and Nutrition, Deakin University, Burwood, VIC, AustraliaSchool of Science and Technology, University of New England, Armidale, NSW, AustraliaSchool of Exercise and Nutrition Sciences, Deakin University, Burwood, VIC, Australia Institute for Physical Activity and Nutrition, Deakin University, Burwood, VIC, Australia Abstract Objective: Ultra-processed beverages (UPBs) have known adverse impacts on health, but their impact on the environment is not well understood across different environmental indicators. This study aimed to quantify the environmental impacts of water-based UPBs and bottled waters sold in Australia and assess the impacts of various scenarios which may reduce such impacts in the future. Design: This study presents a quantitative environmental impact assessment of a major sub-category of UPBs (water-based UPBs, including soft drinks, energy drinks, cordials, fruit drinks) and non-UPBs (bottled waters) in Australia. Alternative mitigation scenarios based on existing health and environmental targets were also modelled using sales projections for 2027. Sales data from Euromonitor International were matched with environmental impact data from peer-reviewed lifecycle assessment databases. Environmental impact indicators included greenhouse gas emissions, land use, eutrophication potential, acidification potential, water scarcity and plastic use. Setting: The Australian beverage supply in 2022 and projected sales for 2027. Participants: N/A Results: Environmental impacts of UPBs were higher than bottled waters. UPBs accounted for 81-99% of total environmental impacts, partly driven by the volume of sales. Reformulation, reducing UPB consumption and increasing recycling all led to meaningful reductions in environmental impacts but with diverse effects across different environmental indicators. The largest reductions occurred when policy scenarios were combined to represent a suite of policy actions which aimed to meet health and environmental targets (30-82% environmental savings). Conclusions: The results indicate that implementing a suite of policies which act to target multiple drivers of environmental harm are likely to lead to the most environmental benefits. https://www.cambridge.org/core/product/identifier/S1368980025000187/type/journal_articleUltra-processed beveragesUltra-processed foodsEnvironmental impactsSustainable food systems |
| spellingShingle | Kim Anastasiou Michalis Hadjikakou Ozge Geyik Gilly A. Hendrie Phillip Baker Richard Pinter Mark Lawrence A quantitative environmental impact assessment of Australian ultra-processed beverages and impact reduction scenarios Public Health Nutrition Ultra-processed beverages Ultra-processed foods Environmental impacts Sustainable food systems |
| title | A quantitative environmental impact assessment of Australian ultra-processed beverages and impact reduction scenarios |
| title_full | A quantitative environmental impact assessment of Australian ultra-processed beverages and impact reduction scenarios |
| title_fullStr | A quantitative environmental impact assessment of Australian ultra-processed beverages and impact reduction scenarios |
| title_full_unstemmed | A quantitative environmental impact assessment of Australian ultra-processed beverages and impact reduction scenarios |
| title_short | A quantitative environmental impact assessment of Australian ultra-processed beverages and impact reduction scenarios |
| title_sort | quantitative environmental impact assessment of australian ultra processed beverages and impact reduction scenarios |
| topic | Ultra-processed beverages Ultra-processed foods Environmental impacts Sustainable food systems |
| url | https://www.cambridge.org/core/product/identifier/S1368980025000187/type/journal_article |
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