Carrefour launches Europe’s first food blockchain and plans to extend the technology to eight more product lines before the end of 2018

The launch of blockchain technology marks an important milestone in the implementation of the Carrefour 2022 transformation plan. Already used for free-range Carrefour Quality Line Auvergne chickens, it will be rolled out to eight more animal and vegetable product lines, such as eggs, cheese, milk, oranges, tomatoes, salmon and ground beef steak. An innovative system designed guarantee consumers complete product traceability.

A blockchain is a secure digital database that cannot be falsified in which all information sent by its users is stored.
It can be used in the food sector so that each and every party along the length of the supply chain (producers, processors and distributors) can provide traceability information about their particular role and for each batch (dates, places, farm buildings, distribution channels, potential treatments, etc.).

”For the first time in France, Carrefour is using blockchain technology with one of its iconic animal product lines: free-range Carrefour Quality Line Auvergne chicken, one million of which are sold every year.”, according to the press release.

Blockchain technology will bring numerous benefits to the food sectors: it will meet consumers’ increasing need for transparency; for breeders, it’s a means to showcase what they produce and their expertise. Carrefour will be able to use it to share a secure database with all of its partners and guarantee higher levels of food safety for its customers.

In concrete terms, each product’s label will feature a QR Code which consumers will be able to scan using their smartphones.

This will provide them with information about the product and the journey it has taken – from where it was reared right up to when it was placed on the shelves: for example, for free-range Carrefour Quality Line Auvergne chicken, consumers will be able to find out where and how each animal was reared, the name of the farmer, what feed was used (whether or not they were fed on French cereals and soya beans, on GMO-free products, etc.), what treatments were used (antibiotic-free, etc.), any quality labels, where they were slaughtered, etc.

“Become the leader of the food transition for everyone is the aim that Alexandre Bompard has set for the Carrefour group. Making use of blockchain technology is an exemplary step in meeting this aim. This is a first in Europe and will provide consumers with guaranteed complete transparency as far as the traceability of our products is concerned”, explains Laurent Vallée, Carrefour’s general secretary and head of quality and food safety.