PCF Study 2026

Cross-industry benchmarks for your PCF strategies – based on insights from around 280 companies in the DACH region.

This study provides a data-based perspective on how manufacturing companies implement Product Carbon Footprints (PCF) today, what drives them and where the biggest challenges in scaling lie. It shows what already works – and where companies are still at the beginning.

PCF is gaining relevance – but is not yet implemented across the board

55% of companies deal with PCF regularly, yet 40% do not yet have an established calculation. In many cases, PCF is still in the pilot phase.

Customer requirements drive the development more than regulation

For 60% of companies, customer requirements are the most important trigger for PCF initiatives – regulatory topics currently play a secondary role.

Scaling remains the biggest challenge

PCF calculations are often only done selectively: 30% calculate PCFs for individual products, but only 14% have extended them to series products. Companies estimate the effort for one PCF calculation at around 11 days.

Data availability is the central bottleneck

Missing supplier data and insufficient master data quality are among the biggest hurdles. The response rate for supplier data is only around 16%.

PCF is becoming economically relevant – many companies are not yet prepared

45% see PCF as economically decisive in the future, while 46% feel only partially prepared for it.

Download the PCF Study 2026 now – including a one-pager for a quick overview!

In addition to the detailed study slides, a compact one-pager is available – ideal for sharing internally with teams and management.