Dive Brief:
- Walmart is rolling out radio-frequency identification technology in fresh categories through a partnership with Avery Dennison, according to a Wednesday announcement.
- Through their partnership, the companies created and tested a solution that addresses the longstanding challenge of using RFID equipment in high-moisture, cold environments, such as refrigerated cases, the press release said.
- Walmart said the tech will help it reduce food waste, ensure product freshness and improve inventory management.
Dive Insight:
Walmart and Avery Dennison, which specializes in digital identification systems, teamed up at a time when food traceability and inventory management are critical issues for retailers.
By using the digital use-by dates that Avery Dennison’s RFID solution provides in meat, bakery and deli departments, Walmart said its workers can better track inventory and determine when to rotate or mark down products. The “first of its kind” solution gives each item its own digital identity, so workers can know how fresh each product is, Walmart said.
As a result, Walmart expects the technology to reduce its levels of unsold food and minimize its food waste.
“We believe technology should make things easier for both our associates and our customers,” Christyn Keef, vice president of front end transformation for Walmart U.S., said in the announcement “By cutting down on manual work, we’re giving our associates more time to focus on what really matters — helping our customers.”
The announcement noted that the partnership will help support Walmart’s goal of halving its global operational food loss and waste intensity by 2030.
While Walmart has long been a driving force behind RFID adoption, as sister site Packaging Dive noted earlier this year, the technology has recently become more commonly used across the food industry. Last year, Kroger announced it would roll out Avery Dennison’s RFID tech and Chipotle said it was working on completing its nationwide rollout of RFID technology by the end of 2024.