Biodiversity pressure from fruit and vegetable consumption in the United Kingdom, India and South Africa varies by product and growing location

Abstract

In many countries around the world, fruit and vegetable consumption must increase to improve human health, potentially pressuring local and global biodiversity. Here we use biodiversity-pressure metrics to compare the biodiversity pressures associated with fruits and vegetables consumed in the United Kingdom, India and South Africa. We found that biodiversity pressure for individual crops varies greatly with origin. In all three countries, imported fruits are typically associated with greater pressure than domestically grown fruits. Contrastingly, in India and South Africa, imported vegetables generally have a lower biodiversity pressure than domestically grown vegetables. Oranges, popular in the United Kingdom and South Africa, exert almost three times more biodiversity pressure than bananas—one of the most-consumed fruits in the United Kingdom and India. Our analysis illustrates the quantification of crop-specific biodiversity pressures and provides evidence for the development of more sustainable food systems. Increasing the consumption of specific food groups will be key for human health but might also lead to environmental impact. This study compares the biodiversity pressures associated with fruits and vegetables consumed in the United Kingdom, India and South Africa.