Yogurt (500g plastic tub)

Material Composition Assumptions

This assessment covers a standard 500-gram polypropylene yogurt container commonly used in European dairy markets. The primary component is a thermoformed polypropylene cup weighing approximately 15 grams, representing roughly 3% of the total product weight. Some variants include a thin cardboard sleeve for labeling, adding an additional 2-3 grams of paperboard material. The yogurt contents constitute 97% of the total mass at 500 grams. The polypropylene material provides necessary barrier properties for dairy preservation while maintaining cost-effectiveness for single-use applications.

Manufacturing Geography

Primary manufacturing occurs in Germany and surrounding DACH region countries, which collectively produce the majority of European yogurt packaging. German manufacturing facilities operate on a grid intensity of approximately 420 kgCO2/MWh, reflecting the country’s mixed energy portfolio of renewable sources and conventional power generation. This region concentrates yogurt production due to proximity to major dairy farming areas, established food processing infrastructure, and efficient distribution networks serving central European markets. The moderate grid intensity compared to coal-heavy regions helps limit processing emissions while fossil fuel dependence still creates measurable impacts on overall carbon footprint.

Regional Variation

Manufacturing Region	Grid Intensity	Estimated CCI Score	Adjustment vs Default
Germany (Default)	420 kgCO2/MWh	0.826	Baseline
France	60 kgCO2/MWh	0.795	-3.8%
Poland	650 kgCO2/MWh	0.871	+5.4%
Austria	180 kgCO2/MWh	0.809	-2.1%
Netherlands	340 kgCO2/MWh	0.818	-1.0%

Provenance Override Guidance

1. Milk sourcing documentation including farm locations, feed composition data, and herd management practices with associated emissions factors for enteric fermentation calculations.

2. Packaging material certificates specifying polypropylene resin type, recycled content percentage, and manufacturing facility energy sources with actual grid intensity values.

3. Processing facility energy consumption records detailing electricity use for fermentation, cooling, and packaging operations with utility-specific emission factors.

4. Transportation manifests documenting distribution distances, vehicle types, and fuel consumption for milk collection and finished product delivery routes.

5. Waste management system specifications including packaging end-of-life treatment methods such as recycling rates, energy recovery, or landfill disposal in the target market.

Methodology Notes

• The CCI score represents cradle-to-gate emissions for one 500-gram yogurt container including raw material extraction, manufacturing, and packaging ready for retail distribution.

• Scope 3 emissions dominate at 90% due to upstream milk production impacts, particularly methane from dairy cows and carbon-intensive feed production systems.

• Scope 2 accounts for 8% reflecting electricity consumption during yogurt processing, fermentation, and refrigeration at manufacturing facilities.

• The functional unit is one complete packaged yogurt product ready for consumer purchase, excluding retail refrigeration and end-of-life treatment.

• Major exclusions include consumer transport, home refrigeration, and post-consumer packaging disposal which fall outside the cradle-to-gate boundary.

• Data gaps exist for seasonal variation in milk production emissions and regional differences in packaging manufacturing efficiency across supplier networks.