Jiachun Wei

CarbonColor is a project focusing on forming a sustainable food shopping pattern in the long term by enabling people to purchase low-carbon food. Facing the urgency of climate change and reaching the net-zero target in the UK, reducing carbon emissions is not just the responsibility of business and industry. An actionable behaviour change from consumers is also required. On one hand, consumer behaviour is tightly linked with the production process and consumption. On the other hand, it is meaningful to construct a system in the food system which could be replicated, amplified, and scaled up.

By designing a colourful barcode on food packaging, CarbonColor innovatively eases the decision-making process when shopping low-carbon ingredients and indicates the environmental impact of the food supply chain. The final outcome includes a platform made for supermarkets and a related device catering to consumers. For consumers, it could educate people to have increased awareness of how their shopping behaviour actually benefits the environment. For producers, the system could help increase their brand value. People who are aware of the environment tend to visit stores with a green reputation and buy products produced in a low-carbon way. 

CarbonColor provides a thinking about what food systems will be like in the future and creates a possible practice for the society to transition to the "post-carbon economy”.