The significant advantage of the cradle-to-shelf approach is that all included assessment data can be controlled (and improved) by the food producer.
For instance, production, choice of suppliers, and distribution of the product. However, the producer cannot account for the events happening after consumption of the product, such as recycling, consumption (cradle to grave).
By calculating the climate footprint from cradle to shelf, consumers can make informed decisions and fairly compare products at the store before a purchase decision.