Sainsbury's rejects carbon labelling

In an interview with The Grocer, Justin King spoke of Sainsbury's concerns as to the benefits of including carbon labels on packs.

King's scepticism stemmed from the fact carbon footprinting does not take account of the footprint of the product beyond the shelf.

"We are yet to see a model proposed that would provide consumers with information that would allow them to make a decision," he said.

The comments follow the publication of a Carbon Trust study last month that claimed that 70% of consumers want businesses to help them make more informed environmental choices.

In June, Sainsbury's revealed that it was looking to raise £445m to help fund its expansion plans after reporting a 7% increase in quarterly profits.

The retailer, which is a signatory of the Courtauld Commitment, has committed to remove a third of its packaging by 2015.