Evaluating the carbon emissions of alternative food provision systems: A comparative analysis of recipe box and supermarket equivalents

Abstract

Given the rapid growth of the online recipe box market, this research evaluates the relative environmental performances of an online recipe box delivery model and supermarket grocery retail shopping. The evaluation was conducted via a thorough comparison of the associated carbon emissions of meals provided by an online recipe delivery service to the equivalent meals from a supermarket, accounting for differences in respective supply chains and their food loss and waste. The comparative results show that, on average, the carbon emissions of the five meals studied within the recipe box model are 10.8% less than those of the equivalent meals bought from a supermarket retail store. Overall, online recipe box delivery services can improve resource efficiency compared to supermarket grocery shopping, especially at the retail operation and household consumption stages. Our findings can inform environmentally conscious consumers and provide guidance to food organisations, including recipe box firms and supermarkets, in achieving their sustainability goals.