Today, we will be looking at something very familiar to us - Beer. Japanese Sapporo Beer actually.

Just yesterday, Sapporo announced that it will include a label on one of its beer products next year stating how much carbon dioxide is emitted per can during the entire production and disposal process.

The label will be printed on 350-milliliter cans of Black Label draft beer.

According to the company, it will be the world’s first brewer to print the amount of CO2 emission on its products.

The practice of calculating the amount of CO2 emitted through each stage of the production and disposal process–from production of ingredients to recycling of a package–is known as carbon footprinting. It is done to help objectively illustrate how much CO2 is emitted to encourage firms to try to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

The Japanese Economy, Trade and Industry Ministry is working at hammering out unified rules on how to calculate CO2 emissions and label it. The rules are expected to be in place by February or March next year.

Sapporo plans to begin labeling the amount of CO2 emission on its products immediately after the introduction of the unified rules.

Sapporo beer is retailed in Singapore. Not very sure if it is good as I have not really tasted it. But it would really be refreshing to see the new label because it would give consumers alternative criterion for choosing products in addition to taste and price, such as taking into account climate change.

Via- The Yomiuri Shimbun Image- Sapporo