EXCLUSIVE: Would these labels influence YOUR order? Hilton adds carbon ratings to its menus to encourage customers to choose more environmentally friendly meals

It’s one of the most famous hotel chains around the world, and now Hilton has a new claim to fame – becoming the first British hotel chain to add carbon labels to its menus.

Diners at Hilton hotels will now know exactly how much carbon went into the production of their meal.

Whether it will make ordering easier or make you wonder if a steak is worth the extra carbon cost, the hotel chain hopes the initiative will help customers make more environmentally friendly choices.

Menus in nearly 30 hotels across the UK will show the carbon footprint per portion along with nutritional information such as the calorie count.

Hilton says that the launch has been successful so far, with lower carbon items becoming more popular since the launch.

It’s one of the most famous hotel chains around the world, and now Hilton has a new claim to fame, becoming the first British hotel chain to add carbon labels to its menus. Pictured: the Smash Cheeseburger

The new carbon ratings clearly show the environmental impact of different choices, with a burger with bacon taking in over 13lbs (6.1kg) of CO2 emissions

Diners at Hilton hotels will now know exactly how much carbon went into the production of their meal. Pictured: the chicken, mushroom and tarragon pie

Menus in almost 30 hotels across the UK will show the carbon footprint per portion along with nutritional information such as the calorie count

Menu items are rated as having low, medium or high carbon emissions, based on their total carbon footprint.

Christoffer Connée, co-founder of Klimato, a green tech start-up which created the ratings, told MailOnline: ‘Early findings suggest that the introduction of the system has led to a shift in guest behaviour, with low and medium footprint dishes particularly was popular.

‘Guest feedback has also shown a positive response to the labeling system, which provides climate-conscious insights and fosters conversations about sustainable dining.’

The updated menu clearly shows which options have the highest carbon footprints, and the wide gap between the greenest and least green options.

The British Rib Eye steak tops the charts for the highest emissions per portion, creating almost 18lbs (8.1kg) of CO2 despite being produced in the UK.

At just 280g of steak, this comes to around 29g of carbon for every gram of meat on the table.

The signature smash burger with bacon isn’t far behind at 13lbs (6.1kg) of carbon per serving.

However, Hilton says this is after updating the menu to save an extra 5lb (2.3kg) of CO2 per burger.

On the much lighter side of the menu, a ‘Posh Fish Finger Sandwich’ produces just 1.3lb (0.6kg) of carbon per serving.

Likewise, swapping a beef burger for a plant burger would result in a reduction in emissions equivalent to driving 39 miles (63 km) in a car.

Swapping a beef burger for a plant burger will result in a reduction in emissions equivalent to driving 39 miles (63 km) in a car

Making small changes, like swapping out a beef patty for a plant-based alternative, can have a big impact on the carbon emissions associated with your dinner.

The large differences between the carbon costs of these menu items are probably associated with the emission intensity of beef production.

According to Klimato, global food production currently accounts for 34 percent of total greenhouse gas emissions worldwide.

Beef is by far the most intensive producer of carbon per kilo of meat produced, with the average UK herd producing around 17-27kg (37-60lbs) per kilo of beef.

A kilo of avocado, by comparison, produces about 1.1 kg (2.4 lb) per kilo of product.

Hilton hopes its updated menu will reduce the average carbon cost of a meal, allowing diners to dine with an associated cost of less than 2.4lb (1.2kg) of C02, which is less than the average UK meal.

Emma Banks, vice president of food and beverage strategy and development for Hilton, said: ‘Carbon labeling is an easy way to empower guests to make more informed choices, and we’re delighted to see they are already embracing these insights.

Menu items are rated as having low, medium or high carbon emissions, based on their total carbon footprint

‘As we are all constantly trying to reduce our impact, every small decision can make a difference, and we are proud to lead the way as the first hotel company to introduce and manage carbon labeling on such a scale.’

Hilton may be the first hotel chain in the UK to roll out carbon labeling at scale, but it’s not the first to experiment with the idea.

Earlier this year, food delivery platform Just Eat added carbon labels in a trial aimed at encouraging more environmentally friendly choices.

Just Eat tested carbon labels on products from five Brighton restaurants for 12 weeks with ratings ranging from A, for very low emissions, to E, for very high emissions.

The food delivery platform also showed off its green credentials during the Women’s Euros when it introduced biodegradable seaweed-based packaging.

The idea is also gaining traction, as a 2020 study carried out by the Carbon Trust found that more than two-thirds of consumers across the UK and Europe said they would support carbon labeling on products.

Hilton is also joining a number of other companies, such as plant-based milk company Oatly and plant-based food group Quorn, in putting labels on British food.