8 min.
April 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 CO2 emissions. Sometimes, however, big challenges can be solved with small, simple solutions - such as a 2D barcode that contains much more information than we all know from the supermarket, such as expiration dates.
This allows supermarkets to reduce a good portion of their food waste. In the fall of 2019, Meny in Norway, in collaboration with Norfersk, began testing the technology on selected fresh meat products from their own brands to reduce food waste by 50% by 2025.
- With the expanded barcode, it became very clear to us what we were getting into the store and what we were selling. This made it possible to adjust our purchasing and we quickly saw less shrinkage," says Unni Skjønhaug, Head of Operations Support at Meny Norway.
THE SMART BARCODES IN THE MENU
2019-2020:
Pilot project with extended 1D barcodes will be activated on 14 meat products, including minced meat, burgers, pork strips and pork chops. All products are Meny's own brand from the same large Norwegian food producer.
Early 2023:
2D barcodes on three additional product groups: fruit/vegetables, milk/cheese and meat/eggs/poultry/fish, both on Meny's own brands (private label) and external brands (other manufacturers' products).
Data as a guide
The test included 14 products and has reduced food waste by 18%. Better data ensures that stores only order new items when stocks are running low.
- By ordering fewer items and stocking fewer shelves, you reduce the risk of items getting too old and being eaten or thrown out. Data provides greater shrinkage control, which 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 shelf life such as fruit, vegetables, dairy, meat and fish.
The test included 14 products and has reduced food waste by 18%. Better data ensures that stores only order new items when stocks are running low.
- By ordering fewer items and stocking fewer shelves, you reduce the risk of items getting too old and being eaten or thrown out. Data provides greater shrinkage control, which 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 shelf life such as fruit, vegetables, dairy, meat and fish.
Smart barcodes
2D barcodes record the shelf life of an item. The item is scanned at the cash register upon sale, giving the store a digital overview of food products and their expiration dates. This can help optimize purchases and reduce food waste by lowering prices on items close to expiration. In addition to reducing food waste, barcodes also have other uses.
Food safety
The smart barcodes increase food safety by making it easier to remove items that have expired or are recalled by the manufacturer for one reason or another. Cash registers alert you if an item is expired or recalled. The barcodes can also help combat counterfeiting of branded products and create more transparency in the supply chain so that consumers can also gain insight into all subcontractors.
Sustainability labeling
Sustainability requires more than a simple icon, as CO2 emissions and impact on biodiversity vary depending on the origin of the product. A Danish-produced tomato is almost carbon 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 use their mobile phones to get a much more nuanced and up-to-date picture of the sustainability of products, 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 retailers streamline logistics and reduce costs by optimizing inventory management and purchasing. Data and artificial intelligence make it possible to predict purchasing patterns so supermarkets only buy the items they actually sell.
Consumer communication and branding
The opportunities to communicate with consumers about a product are significantly increased. Consumers can participate in competitions, receive recipes for meals that include the food, receive offers, gain knowledge about the brand and the production of the product, and receive guidance on how to use 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 about the direction of development:
- 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 using 2D barcodes to automatically discount items close to their expiration date, saving time for employees and incentivizing customers to choose items with the shortest shelf life.
With the extended barcode, it became clear to us what we were getting into the store and what we were selling. This allowed us to adjust our purchasing patterns and we could quickly see that our shrinkage was decreasing.
