8 mins.
4.4.2023
Expiration date barcodes at Meny have led to 18% less food waste
Text
Rasmus P. V. Jakobsen
Photo:
Oda Hveem
Food waste accounts for eight percent of man-made carbon emissions. And sometimes big challenges have to be solved with small, simple solutions - for example, a so-called 2D barcode that contains much more information than what we all know from the supermarket, including expiration dates.
In doing so, supermarkets can reduce a fair share of their food waste. In autumn 2019, Meny in Norway, in collaboration with Norfersk, began testing the technology for some selected fresh meat products from their own brands in order to reduce food waste by 50% by 2025.
- With the extended barcode, it became quite clear to us what we got into the store and what we sold. This made it possible to adapt our procurement and we quickly saw less shrinkage,” says Unni Skønhaug, Head of Operations Support at Meny Norway.
THE SMART BARCODES IN MENU
2019—2020:
Pilot project with extended 1D barcodes is being activated on 14 meat products, including mince, burgers, pork strips and pork chops. All products are Menys own brand from the same large Norwegian food manufacturer.
Primo 2023:
2D Barcodes on three further product groups: fruit/vegetables, milk/cheese and meat/eggs/poultry/fish, both on Menu's own brands (private label) and external brands (other producers' goods).
Data as a guide
The test included 14 products and has reduced food waste by 18%. Better data ensures that stores order new items only when inventory is nearing sold out.
— By ordering fewer items and filling fewer items on the shelf, the risk of items becoming too old and underpriced or thrown away is reduced. Data provides greater fraud control, and this is crucial for reducing food waste, explains Terje Menkerud, senior advisor at GS1 Norway.
The technology is particularly effective for packaged products with a short lifespan such as fruit, vegetables, dairy products, meat and fish.
The test included 14 products and has reduced food waste by 18%. Better data ensures that stores order new items only when inventory is nearing sold out.
— By ordering fewer items and filling fewer items on the shelf, the risk of items becoming too old and underpriced or thrown away is reduced. Data provides greater fraud control, and this is crucial for reducing food waste, explains Terje Menkerud, senior advisor at GS1 Norway.
The technology is particularly effective for packaged products with a short lifespan such as fruit, vegetables, dairy products, meat and fish.
Smart Barcodes
2D barcodes record the shelf life of an item. The product is scanned when sold at the cash register, giving the store a digital overview of food products and their expiry dates. This can help optimize procurement and reduce food waste by lowering prices on items close to expiration. In addition to reducing food waste, the barcodes also have other uses.
Food Safety
The smart barcodes increase food safety by making it easier to remove items that have expired or, for one reason or another, are recalled by the manufacturer. The cash registers will alert if an item has expired or been recalled. Barcodes can also help fight counterfeiting of branded products and create more transparency in the supply chain, so that consumers can also gain insight into all subcontractors.
Sustainability labelling
Sustainability requires more than a simple icon, as CO2 emissions and impacts on biodiversity vary depending on the origin of the product. A Danish produced tomato is almost CO2 neutral when produced in summer, while in winter it is one of the most carbon-intensive foods you can buy.
With 2D barcodes, consumers can, through their mobile phones, get a much more nuanced and up-to-date picture of product sustainability, including climate, biodiversity and social conditions, as well as how best to treat and dispose of the product.
Efficiency and cost reduction
2D barcodes can help manufacturers and stores streamline logistics and reduce costs by optimizing inventory management and procurement. Data and artificial intelligence allow shopping patterns to be predicted, so supermarkets only buy the goods they actually sell.
Consumer Communication and Branding
The possibilities of communicating with consumers about a product are significantly increased. Consumers can participate in competitions, receive recipes for meals in which the food is included, receive offers, gain knowledge about the brand and the manufacture of the product, and receive guidance on the use of the product in general. This opens up new marketing opportunities and strengthens the brand.
More perspectives for the future
At GS1 in Norway, Terje Menkerud is in no doubt as to which direction the development is going:
“In the future, I expect there will be more 2D barcodes than regular barcodes.
GS1 Global expects the world to be able to read them by 2027. Meny is already working on the use of 2D barcodes to automatically lower the price of goods close to the expiration date, which saves time for employees and creates an incentive among customers to choose products with the shortest shelf life.
With the extended barcode, it became quite clear to us what we were getting into the store and what we were selling. On this basis, we were able to adjust our purchasing patterns and we could quickly see that our shrinkage was lessening.
