Carbon Neutral

1. Assess eligibility and scope: Determine which product(s) or packaging you wish to certify and confirm they are within scope for PAS 2060 carbon neutrality verification. Note that Carbon Trust stopped accepting new applications in September 2023 — explore their updated label portfolio if starting fresh.

1. Conduct a carbon footprint assessment: Commission or perform a full cradle-to-grave lifecycle carbon footprint calculation for the product, following the methodology required under PAS 2060 and Carbon Trust's verification criteria.

1. Develop a carbon reduction plan: Prepare a documented plan outlining how you will reduce the product's carbon footprint over time. This is a mandatory component — offsets alone are not sufficient.

1. Source qualifying carbon offsets: Identify and procure verified carbon offsets (e.g., from Gold Standard or Verified Carbon Standard projects) to cover any residual emissions that cannot yet be eliminated.

1. Compile and submit documentation: Gather all required evidence — the verified footprint calculation, reduction plan, and offset certificates — and submit to Carbon Trust for review.

1. Undergo Carbon Trust verification: Carbon Trust assessors review all submitted documentation against PAS 2060 requirements and may request additional information or clarification during the process.

1. Receive the Carbon Neutral label: Upon successful verification, receive the right to use the Carbon Neutral label on the certified product or packaging for the duration of the verification period.

1. Maintain and renew: Continue reducing the product footprint and maintain valid offsets to support renewal at the end of the verification period.

The Carbon Neutral verification evaluates products and packaging against PAS 2060, the internationally recognised specification for the demonstration of carbon neutrality. The assessment is structured around three core pillars.

Carbon Footprint Quantification: The full cradle-to-grave lifecycle emissions of the product must be calculated and verified. This covers all Scope 1, 2, and 3 emissions across the product's value chain — from raw material extraction and manufacturing through distribution, consumer use, and end-of-life disposal. The footprint must be calculated using a recognised methodology (such as PAS 2050 or ISO 14067) and independently verified.

Emissions Reduction Plan: Applicants must demonstrate a credible, documented commitment to reducing the product's carbon footprint over time. The reduction plan must set measurable targets and timelines, and evidence of progress against prior-period footprints is required at renewal. This distinguishes the label from simple offset-only schemes.

Carbon Offset Evidence: Any residual emissions that cannot yet be eliminated must be offset through qualifying carbon credits from recognised standards such as Gold Standard, Verified Carbon Standard (VCS/Verra), or equivalent. Offsets must be retired on behalf of the product and cover the full verified footprint for the certification period.

Together, these three elements ensure that certified products have genuinely measured, are actively reducing, and have credibly neutralised their carbon impact — not merely purchased offsets without a reduction commitment.

The Carbon Trust Carbon Neutral label was one of the most credible and widely recognised product carbon neutrality certifications globally, particularly in the UK and European markets. Launched in 2012, it built on Carbon Trust's earlier Carbon Reduction Label (introduced in 2007) and was adopted by major consumer brands across food and beverage, personal care, electronics, and retail sectors. At its peak, hundreds of products carried the label, with notable adopters including Quorn, Innocent Drinks, Sky, and Walkers crisps.

The broader market for carbon neutrality claims has faced significant scrutiny in recent years. Growing concerns about greenwashing, the quality of carbon offsets, and the credibility of "carbon neutral" as a consumer claim led to regulatory pressure in the UK, EU, and elsewhere. The UK's Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) and the EU's Green Claims Directive both targeted vague or unsubstantiated environmental claims, creating headwinds for offset-based neutrality labels. Against this backdrop, Carbon Trust announced in September 2023 that it would discontinue new carbon neutral verifications, pivoting instead to labels focused on measurement, reduction trajectories, and science-based targets — a shift reflecting the industry's move away from offset-reliance toward genuine decarbonisation.

Competing programs such as Climate Neutral Certified (now rebranded as "Change Climate") and various PAS 2060-aligned schemes have faced similar pressures. The market is increasingly favouring net zero-aligned frameworks (such as SBTi) and transparency-focused labels over binary carbon neutral claims. For organizations that already hold the Carbon Trust Carbon Neutral label, it remains valid until the verification period expires, but the long-term trajectory of the "carbon neutral" label category is uncertain as regulatory and consumer expectations evolve toward deeper, verified emissions reductions.

The Carbon Trust Carbon Neutral label was introduced in 2012 as an extension of Carbon Trust's pioneering product carbon footprint labelling work, which began in 2007 with the launch of the Carbon Reduction Label — the world's first mass-market product carbon footprint label, developed in partnership with the UK government and initially adopted by Walkers crisps. The Carbon Neutral label built on this foundation by adding a requirement for full neutralisation of the product footprint through verified offsets, alongside a mandatory reduction plan, aligning with the PAS 2060 specification published by BSI.

Over the following decade, the label gained traction with major UK and international consumer brands seeking to communicate verified climate commitments to retailers and consumers. It became one of the most credible third-party product carbon neutrality certifications globally, distinguished by its requirement for both footprint reduction and offset quality. However, growing regulatory scrutiny of carbon neutral claims — particularly from the UK CMA and the EU — combined with broader industry debate about the integrity of carbon offsets, led Carbon Trust to reassess its label portfolio. In September 2023, Carbon Trust announced it would no longer accept new carbon neutral verification applications, transitioning its label offerings toward frameworks more aligned with science-based net zero pathways. Existing certified products retain their labels until the relevant verification periods expire.