The Social Construction of Environmental Reality: An Analysis of Life Cycle Assessment in the Food Industry

Pedja Ašanin Gole , Karolina Babič , Vida Sruk

Abstract

This article offers a critical sociological-philosophical-communicological review of the Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) method in the context of the food industry. While LCA has been established as a standardized tool for quantifying environmental impacts, this study analyses it not merely as a technical method but as an epistemological construct that actively shapes societal understanding of sustainability. Drawing on the theory of social construction of reality, situated knowledge, and critical theory, the article explores how methodological choices within LCA (e.g., system boundary definition and indicator selection) are not neutral but reflect specific social and political priorities. The findings reveal that standardized LCA approaches often lead to epistemological reductionism by homogenizing complex ecological processes and neglecting local contexts and environmental justice issues. Furthermore, the article examines the instrumentalization of LCA in sustainability communication and green marketing, where quantitative data are frequently used to legitimize existing business models rather than to drive systemic change. The discussion emphasizes the need to transcend instrumental rationality and shift toward transdisciplinary and deliberative approaches. The article advocates for integrating Social Life Cycle Assessment (S-LCA) and broader Life Cycle Sustainability Assessment (LCSA) frameworks to address sustainability challenges in the food industry more holistically, incorporating social justice and cultural sensitivity.

Keywords: life cycle assessment (LCA); social construction of reality; situated knowledge; sustainability environmental communication; epistemology of ethics; sociology of responsibility