Key crops for processed foods have spatially variable biodiversity impacts not captured in other environmental impact indicators

Abstract

Abstract We must urgently address unsustainable food system practices to protect important ecosystems. Most research quantifying the environmental impacts of food production and consumption has not measured biodiversity impacts directly or spatially, limiting our ability to evaluate how producing and consuming countries are contributing to food system sustainability. Here, we quantify the biodiversity impacts of food crops commonly found in processed foods using a range of accessible metrics. We focus on ingredients found in popular processed foods, such as chocolate digestive biscuits, and show globally reaching impacts. Land-use and fertiliser impacts were greatest for the food crops considered. We also identified Critically Endangered species at risk from habitat loss associated with crops being supplied to the UK specifically. For instance, cocoa production overlaps with nearly 20% of the range of both the Critically Endangered Roloway and Miss Waldron’s Red Colobus monkeys. As crop-specific farm and trade data are not publicly available, it is difficult to know the origin of all ingredients, limiting biodiversity impact estimation. If such data are released in future, our approach can be used to further evaluate biodiversity impacts of foods to inform more sustainable decision-making at consumer, business, and government levels.