Land Use and Greenhouse Gas Emissions from Sugar in Swedish and European Confectionery Consumption
Bibliographic Data
| ID | 22434142 |
|---|---|
| Authors | Sandra Nylund (Mid Sweden University, corresponding author), Henrik Haller (0000-0001-5796-6672, Mid Sweden University) |
| Year | 2026 |
| Volume | 11 |
| Issue | 1 |
| Publication date | 2026-06-01 |
| Peer Reviewed | Yes |
| Open Access | Yes |
| Type | ARTICLE |
| Venue | Food Ethics (JOURNAL) |
| Journal identifiers | ISSN: 2364-6853 • E-ISSN: 2364-6861 |
| Publisher | Springer Science and Business Media LLC (PUBLISHER) |
| DOI | 10.1007/s41055-025-00196-8 |
| OpenAlex | W7125102934 |
| Language | EN |
| References cited | 46 |
The composition of diets plays a critical role in the environmental impact of the food system. Ongoing dietary transitions towards higher intake of meat, saturated fats, and refined sugars exacerbate climate impacts and contribute to rising rates of non-communicable diseases. After cereals, sugar crops are the category of primary crops produced in highest volumes globally, and sugar is consumed in many different forms, one wide-spread commodity being confectionery products. Europe accounts for 35–45% of global confectionery consumption, with Sweden among the top consumers at 16 kg per capita per year. Despite its scale and the strong associations between excess caloric intake, health issues, and negative climate impact, the confectionery industry remains an under-researched subject. This article quantifies land use and CO2-equivalent emissions associated with sugar used in European and Swedish confectionery consumption: 252,485 hectares, and 7,758 hectares; 2,97 million and 64,787 metric tonnes of CO2-equivalents respectively. The findings shed light on the often-overlooked burden of “empty calories” and discuss how reallocation of land from sugar crops could contribute to improved human and environmental health.
Climate change · Commodity · Food security · Greenhouse gas · Land use · Per capita · Sugar · Tonne · Agriculture Sustainability and Environmental Impact · Atmospheric and Environmental Gas Dynamics · Organic Food and Agriculture
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| Citation velocity | historical |
|---|---|
| Highly cited | No |