BANGKOK, June 5, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- In Thailand, 64% of waste is comprised of food waste, with Thais wasting 254 kg of food per capita per year. Central Food Group, Thailand's largest supermarket chain, is deeply committed to addressing this issue. Now, it is taking its efforts to the next level by partnering with Smartway, a company that supports retailers in their fight against food waste. The retailer is set to begin testing Smartway's innovative solutions for digitized food waste management in five of its Tops stores located in Bangkok and surrounding areas. The trial is scheduled to begin during the second quarter of 2024. Based on artificial intelligence, Smartway's solutions empower store teams to identify products nearing their expiration date, strategically price them with discounts of 20% to 40%, and take proactive measures to ensure accurate ordering. This translates to significant benefits for customers, boosting their purchasing power and reducing food waste. A first in Thailand.
Using AI to combat food waste
On one hand, tons of products are discarded in stores, while on the other hand, millions of consumers face precarious conditions. Central Food Group sought to address this issue by partnering with Smartway, a company that has been supporting retailers in the fight against food waste for the past 12 years. Over 2,000 stores worldwide have already adopted Smartway's Food Waste Management System, a suite of solutions based on a unique form of artificial intelligence that guides in-store teams to optimize the entire food waste chain. Smartway has already prevented over 250 million products from going to waste.
For Central Food Group, Smartway has deployed all its in-store solutions to:
- Automatically detect products nearing their expiration date using the "GPS Short Date" system.
- Determine the best recycling channel by making the most profitable choice for each product.
- Discount products through the automatic printing of a unique label for each product.
- Enhance ordering processes through digitization.
All stakeholders will benefit from the solution's artificial intelligence. Stores will reduce their food waste and increase their net income. Employees will enjoy greater reliability and speed - the time their tasks currently take will be cut fourfold as they are guided in handling soon-to-expire products. Customers will enjoy a wider range of discounted products which will of course boost their purchasing power.
Reducing food waste by 30%
Central Food Group is committed to embodying the ethos of "Green & Sustainable Retail" and to positioning itself as a leader in sustainability within the Asian retail sector. This commitment encompasses ambitious goals, including reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 30% by 2030, advocating for environmentally friendly products and packaging, and implementing effective waste management practices. Central Food Group has made combating food waste a priority, with the aim of reducing food waste by 30%.
Contact:
Jidapa Parry
mint@tqpr.com
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