Albert Heijn fights food waste, aided by AI

Albert Heijn is tapping Artificial Intelligence technology for a new food waste reduction initiative. It is testing out “dynamic discounting” of chicken and fish products at a store in Zandvoort in the Netherlands. These will be automatically reduced in price based on their sell-by date.

An algorithm developed by Albert Heijn takes into account various factors to calculate the best price. These include location, bonus offers, weather conditions, historical sales performance and in-store stock. The products are accompanied by electronic price tags with two prices: the regular price and discount at a specific expiration date.

The retailer is working with Wasteless on the project. It is aiming to eliminate half of the waste across its food chain by 2030.

Blockchain

Last year, we reported that Albert Heijn was using blockchain technology to make the production chain of its own-brand orange juice transparent. It rolled out a blockchain system in partnership with its supplier, Refresco. Through a QR code on the packaging, customers were able to track the entire route travelled by a bottle of orange juice.

Albert Heijn’s Commercial Director Marit van Egmond, said: “Every day we provide millions of customers with delicious food and drinks. That is a big responsibility. We want to make an active contribution on issues that are important to our customers – by making our products healthier, reducing food waste and limiting our impact on the environment.”

“Transparency in the chain is becoming increasingly important. We know all the steps that our products go through to ensure that they are produced with respect for people, animals and the environment and we want to show these steps to our customers, in an open and transparent way.”