Butter production three-and-a-half times more damaging to environment than plant-based spreads, study finds

Research shows butter releases 12.1kg of CO2 for every kilogram produced

Dairy farmers are at risk of going out of business soon, unless a balance can be struck with buyers (Getty)

Emissions from cattle make the production of butter three-and-a-half times as damaging to the environment as plant-based spreads, according to a new study.

As food production is a significant cause of climate change, being responsible for up to 30 per cent of greenhouse gases, scientists carried out tests comparing plant-based spreads and margarines against dairy-based equivalents.

They found that for each kilogram of product, the “mean average” CO2 equivalent for plant-based spreads was 3.3kg – compared to 12.1kg for dairy-based products.

This was an increase of more than three-and-a-half times, based on analysis of 212 plant-based spreads and margarines across 21 European and North American markets, and 21 dairy butters.

In the production of raw milk - the key ingredient in dairy butter – 39 per cent of the greenhouse gases come from enteric emissions, which is methane released by cows.

In fact, just one 250g pack of dairy butter equates to 1kg of cattle emissions.

Methane is about 80 times more powerful than carbon dioxide when it comes to trapping heat and is responsible for 25 per cent of global warming.

The report has been published in The International Journal of Life Cycle Assessment.

Sally Smith, head of sustainability at food company Upfield, said: “In order to achieve emissions targets designed to limit global warming to 1.5C by 2050, there needs to be a fundamental transformation of our food system.

“In Western countries especially, we currently rely too heavily on meat and dairy.

“A shift to regenerative agricultural practices will be key for both arable and dairy farmers.

“Robust life cycle assessments help ensure that our approach is data driven and grounded on the latest scientific evidence.”

The research found that cattle feed production and livestock rearing – including cow-related emissions and manure management – contributed significantly to climate change impacts, with a higher impact than most other factors.

Packaging for plant-based spreads makes up 8 per cent of its emissions compared to 1 per cent for butter, with the latter often wrapped in a lightweight foil or paper parchment as opposed to to a tub.

It follows separate research by Dr Hannah Ritchie, from the University of Oxford, who concluded the “eating local” mantra was a “misguided piece of advice” when discussing climate change.

Her study revealed transport emissions are often a very small percentage of food’s total emissions – only 6 per cent globally.

SWNS