SYDNEY, April 16 (Xinhua) -- Australians' love for red meat, chocolate, and coffee comes at a high environmental cost, as they are often the products generating the highest rates of greenhouse gas emissions in the country's packaged food supply, a report said on Wednesday.

The report published on Wednesday by the George Institute for Global Health said that the study assessed over 25,000 food and beverage products from major Australian retailers and found these popular grocery staples among the biggest contributors to greenhouse gas emissions.

Using the newly developed "Planetary Health Rating" system, the study gave Australia's overall packaged food supply an average of just 2.5 out of 5 stars for environmental impact.

Red meat scored the lowest at 0.7 stars, followed by chocolate at 1.4 stars and coffee at 1.6, the report said, adding in contrast, fresh fruits and vegetables, along with dairy-free yogurts, rated highest at 3.6 stars, topped only by plain bottled water with 5 stars.

Simone Pettigrew at the University of New South Wales, also head of health promotion at the George Institute for Global Health, said food production accounts for around one-third of global emissions, but shoppers have almost no way of knowing a product's climate impact.

The report suggests that Australians could cut more than 6,000 kg of emissions per year, equivalent to three round trips between Perth and Sydney, by replacing red meat and dairy with plant-based or lower-impact alternatives like poultry, seafood, and plant-based milks, Pettigrew said.

Highly processed foods also tend to generate more emissions, making whole fruits and vegetables a better choice for both the environment and personal health, she said, adding the purpose-built ecoSwitch smartphone app equips shoppers to make more sustainable grocery choices. Enditem

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