What is a Product Carbon Footprint and How is it Measured?

The competitiveness of a product is no longer decided solely by its price or design: more and more buyers demand to know exactly how many kilograms of CO₂ are emitted from raw-material extraction to end-of-life.

That figure, expressed as the Product Carbon Footprint (PCF), has become a passport to enter sustainable supply chains, attract ESG investment and avoid regulatory surcharges such as the EU’s Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism.

This article explains, in a clear step-by-step format, what a PCF covers, which standards govern its calculation and how any company can measure it rigorously, turning tonnes of avoided CO₂ into tangible commercial advantages.

What is a Product Carbon Footprint (PCF)?

A Product Carbon Footprint quantifies all greenhouse-gas emissions generated across the full life cycle of a good or service and expresses them in kilograms of CO₂-equivalent per functional unit.

What does a PCF include?

Under ISO 14067 and the GHG Protocol Product Standard, a PCF must account for direct emissions (Scopes 1 and 2) and indirect emissions (Scope 3) linked to raw materials, transport, use phase and end-of-life.

Omitting the use phase would, for instance, distort any comparison between an A-rated appliance and a C-rated one.

Step-by-step methodology for a reliable PCF

Step 1: Define the functional unit and system boundaries

If your firm bottles mineral water, the unit could be “one 500-millilitre bottle ready for consumption.” Build a life-cycle inventory with data on electricity, fuels and materials.

Step 2: Apply vetted emission factors‍

Convert the inventory into CO₂-eq using recognised factors.

Step 3: Add emissions from all stages and divide by the functional unit‍

The resulting figure can then be displayed on labels or ESG reports.

For a deeper dive into inventory building, see our article on the Life-Cycle Inventory (LCI).

Benefits of disclosing a PCF

Climate-friendly marketplaces such as Amazon Climate Pledge favour products with verified PCFs. Regulators require the figure to comply with CSRD and to avoid CBAM surcharges on EU exports.

Market studies show that a low-CO₂ label commands an average 5 % price premium over comparable products lacking impact data.

Strategies for cutting the PCF

Reductions usually start with raw-material substitutions: switching from virgin aluminium to recycled steel cuts impact by roughly 35 %.

Signing a renewable-energy PPA virtually eliminates Scope 2 emissions. Reusing packaging is another high-impact lever; ten cycles of returnable PET lower the footprint by 41 % compared with returnable glass.

Finally, fully-loaded outbound and return logistics trim transport emissions by about 12 %.

Product Carbon Footprint: A passport to sustainability

Calculating a PCF is now essential for gaining access to sustainable supply chains, qualifying for tax incentives and winning over the increasingly demanding eco-conscious consumer.

Measure, verify, communicate and link your reduction plans to the water-management and product-footprint strategies featured on our blog—you’ll turn avoided grams of CO₂ into euros of added value and market trust.

FAQs about Product Carbon Footprint (PCF)

Which standard applies?

ISO 14067 and the GHG Protocol Product Standard provide the accepted methodology.‍

Are results verified?

Yes. An ISO 14065-accredited verifier audits the data before publication.‍

How much does a PCF study cost?

Around €4,000 for a simple product and from €15,000 upward for complex systems.