More About Food Miles

Some Fun facts about our Food Miles Calculator

Total distance calculated by the tool*: 269,090,860 miles, that is approximately 10816 times around the earth or 350.01 times to the moon and back or even 100% of the way to the sun(done) 55.60% of the way to Jupiter!

The average distance calculated is: 3899 miles

Food Miles Calculator Tag Cloud

This shows the most "tracked" items using the food miles calculator!

almonds anchor butter appel apple apple juice apples apricot apricots asparagus aubergine avacado avocado avocados baby carrots baby corn baby leeks baby sweet corn baby sweetcorn babycorn bacon baked beans balsamic vinegar bamboo shoots banana bananas banna bannana bannanas bannans bannas barbeque sauce basil basmati rice bean sprouts beans beef beef burgers beef mince beer beetroot biscuits black olives black pepper blackberries blackberry blue berries blueberries bombs braeburn apple braeburn apples brazil nuts bread bread sticks breadsticks breakfast brie broccoli broccolli brocoli brocolli brown rice brown sugar brussel sprouts burger burgers butter butternut squash cabbage cabbages cacao cake cane sugar cantaloupe cape gooseberry carrot carrots carrots and peas cashew nuts cashews caster sugar cauliflower celeriac celery cereal cheddar cheese cheese cherries cherry cherry tomatoes cherrys chestnuts chick peas chicken chicken breast chicken curry chicken portions chiken chili chilies chilli chilli sauce chillies chillis chips chocalate choclate chocolate chocolate spread chopped tomatoes cinnamon clementine clementines coca beans coca cola coco coco beans cocoa cocoa beans coconut coconut milk coconuts cod cofee coffe coffee coffee beans coke cookies coriander corn corn flour corn on a cob corned beef cornflakes courgettes cous cous couscous crackers cranberries cream crisps cucumber cumin curry curry paste curry powder custard dairy milk dates dill dog dragon fruit egg eggplant eggs fajitas feta cheese fig figs fine beans fish flour flowers food food miles french beans fries frogs legs frubes fruit fruit cocktail fruits garlic garlic bread ginger golden syrup grape fruit grapefruit grapes graps gravy green beans green grapes green pepper guava h p sauce haddock ham hamburger herbs honey honeydew melon hot chocolate hot dogs hp sauce ice cream iceberg iceberg lettuce jam juice juicy sweetcorn k kangaroo ketchup kidney beans king prawns kiwi kiwi fruit lamb lamb chops lard lasagne lazac leek leeks leg of lamb lemon lemon grass lemon juice lemongrass lemons lentils lettuce lime limes lychee lychees maize mandarins mange tout mangetout mango mangoes mangos maple syrup margarine mayonaise mayonnaise meat meatballs melon melons miles milk mince mince meat minced beef mixed chillies mixed herbs mozarella mozzarella mozzarella cheese mushroom mushrooms mustard nachos nectarine nectarines new potatoes noodles nutmeg nuts oats oil olive oil olives onion onions orange orange juice oranges oxtail soup pancakes papaya pappadums paprika parmesan cheese parsley parsnips passion fruit pasta pasta sauce paster patatoes pate pavlova pea peach peaches peanut butter peanuts pear pears peas penne pepper pepperoni peppers pesto pilchards pinapple pinapples pineapple pineapples pizza plum plums pomegranate pomegranates poo popcorn pork potato potatoes potatos prawn prawns pringles pumpkin seeds quorn radish raisins raisons rasberries rashen packs raspberries red chilli red chillies red grapes red onion red pepper red peppers red wine rhubarb rice roast lamb rocket round beans runner beans saffron salad salad onions salami salmon salsa salt samon sardines satsuma satsumas sauce sausage sausages sea salt shallots sharon fruit shrimp snails soup soy beans soy sauce spagetti spaghetti sparkling water spices spinach spinach, rocket and watercress spinich spring onion spring onions sprouts squid star fruit stawberries steak strawberries strawberry strawberrys sugar sugar cane sugar snap peas suger sultanas sunflower sunflower oil superfino arborio rice sushi swede sweet corn sweet potato sweet potatoes sweetcorn sweetcorn cobs sweets tabasco tamatoes tea tea bags tea leaves teabags tiger prawns tinned tomatoes toast toblerone tomato tomato ketchup tomato puree tomato sauce tomato soup tomatoe tomatoes tomatos trimmed fine beans tropicana tuna tuna chunks tuna fish turkey turkish delight ugly fruit vanilla vanilla ice cream vegemite vegetable oil vegetables veggie mite vinegar vodka walnuts water water melon watercress watermelon weetabix weop0ns trancesport wheat white grapes white wine wholegrain wheat wine yam yams yeast yoghurt yogurt

Top Countries

Country From	# of checks
Italy	4885
Spain	4748
United Kingdom	4162
United States	3605
New Zealand	3104
France	2821
Brazil	2783
China	2726
Afghanistan	2687
India	2448

Country To	# of checks
United Kingdom	62803
United States	2253
Germany	1351
Ireland	1228
Australia	910
New Zealand	810
Canada	557
China	326
Singapore	279
Czech Republic	243

Food Mile Considerations

Now that you have used our Food Miles Calculator you have a rough idea of how far the food has come to get to you.

This isn't however the whole story, there are many other factors to consider when you work out the environmental impact of your food.

Internal Travel

Remember, because our tool can only track items from capital to capital it doesn't give the whole story.

Country Of Origin

In the country of origin there a lot of things to consider, things like:

What products or treatments have been used to treat or grow the item? This would include any feeds etc for livestock and fertilisers for fruits and vegetables
Has the item been picked and shipped around prior to leaving the country?
How has the item been packaged and packed?

This has been highlighted in a fairly recent study by the Lincoln University in New Zealand where they proved that the overall environmental impact of NZ lamb was less than that of Welsh - including importing it to the UK. Report (PDF)

Destination Country

Food miles can be added to a product when it is in the final destination country. These include any internal movement of stock between distribution centres and supermarkets, travel to and from the point of purchase and even disposal of waste from the product!

Grow Your Own

An obvious answer to the food miles debate is of course to grow your own and keep the food mileage down to about 50ft! This isn't obviously the answer for all things as we don't all have a few acres spare to graze sheep etc.

Growing your own does have the added advantage of allowing you to track exactly what chemicals if any are used. Good for the planet and good for you.

Finally

The point here is that food miles are a very complicated thing, so the tool we have put together for you is only one part of the story. It can give a good indication of the miles your food has travelled to reach you and the carbon produced as a result.

In general, local food - that is locally produced and sold - is best, so buying this would normally be the safer option!