Developing practical guidance and evidence of sustainable practices, working towards a net-zero potato supply chain - TuberNetZero

A single potato on a supermarket shelf carries a hidden carbon cost equivalent to a small car journey, and UK growers are under pressure to cut it. The problem is that producing potatoes in the UK is energy-intensive: heavy cultivations damage soil, release stored carbon, and destroy underground ecosystems, while long-term storage and transport add further emissions. Current efforts to reduce this footprint rarely scale beyond small pilot plots. TuberNetZero brings together major players across the UK potato supply chain to develop practical, commercially viable low-carbon solutions for growing, storing, and transporting potatoes—without compromising quality. The project will test these methods at field scale, not in test plots, and combine existing practices with new technology. By the end, the team will produce a data-driven roadmap identifying the most promising solutions for English growers and the wider industry. If successful, this could transform a staple food supply chain that most people never think about—quietly cutting emissions from cultivation, storage, and transport while keeping shelves stocked. The project is applied, not fundamental science: its goal is immediate, practical change in a high-impact agricultural sector.