“Gateway to digital interactions”: On-pack freshness sensor technology targets food waste reduction

18 Feb 2020 --- A team of scientists at the Imperial College of London, UK, have created what is marketed as a low-cost and effective method to measure the freshness of food within sealed packages. This simple approach enables the highly perishable sector of the food industry to offer a digital “Freshness Sensor” on packaging, ultimately eliminating unnecessary food waste. The innovative sensor inspired marketing technology company TPG Rewards to build a Freshness Marketing Platform to help brands better communicate the technology’s benefits for the end consumer. 

The move comes as food waste is increasingly highlighted as a global issue and many packaging companies are devoting R&D into packaging that will prolong freshness to reduce waste. The sensor can be affixed to packaged perishable foods to indicate to supermarket shoppers the true expiration date of a product, while providing relevant marketing promotions that help close the sale.

TPG Rewards’ Freshness Marketing Platform allows consumers to tap the product “Freshness Sensor,” to access its expiration date, along with “intelligent marketing experiences” such as coupons and recipes that are algorithmically curated based on the product’s remaining life. For example, consumers receive a higher valued digital coupon the closer the product is to the actual expiration date, and recipes are delivered in accordance with the weather or time of day at the consumer’s location.

How the sensor works
A simple tap of a consumer’s Near Field Communication (NFC)-enabled phone (no apps required) on the package’s “Freshness Sensor” instantly provides a digital readout of the products actual freshness, which is determined by measuring the gases found within each sealed package. This is more accurate in comparison to the conservative preprinted estimated expiration date that consumers currently rely on.

The digital freshness readout becomes the “gateway to the digital interaction” between the consumer and the brand at critical moments, notably when the consumer is finalizing their decision whether or not to purchase the product. This is according to TPG Rewards, which develops loyalty and promotional programs for Consumer Packaged Goods companies globally.

Current labeling model leads to food waste
The freshness of packaged perishable products, such as fish or meat, can be impacted by the various conditions encountered on the journey from the packaging facility to the supermarket refrigerator. For example, the freshness of a product declines more rapidly when left for a prolonged period on a hot loading dock, compared to a different package that was continuously refrigerated throughout its journey to the store.

The current model for preprinted expiration dates on such products are predetermined using conservative calculations that assume less than optimum conditions prevail within the supply chain. The conservative nature of preprinted expiration dates are designed to protect public health yet, consequently, result in a lot of perfectly good food being thrown away. Globally, approximately 1/32 or approximately 1.3 billion tons of perfectly good food is tossed into the garbage every year. That is more than enough food to take care of the 821 million people who suffer from hunger worldwide, notes TPG Rewards.

Efforts on preserving freshness
The packaging industry is making strides in ensuring products stay fresher for longer to reduce food waste. Notably, Seattle-based start-up StixFresh developed a sticker that can keep fruit and vegetables fresh for up to two weeks longer than usual. When applied to the fruit, the all-natural compound contained on the sticker creates a protective layer around the fruit that increases its shelf-life, reducing food waste at home or anywhere along the post-harvest supply chain. 

Last month, Mondi launched its containerboard and corrugated solutions for the fresh produce market. At Fruit Logistica in Berlin, Germany the company showcased the “FirstClassFlutes by Mondi” portfolio, which provides unique protection for delicate goods, from the initial stacking process to the final delivery at the point of sale. 

Also in January, Sappi Europe added a 91 g/m² offering to its high-barrier paper range that offers optimal product protection thanks to its oxygen, steam, grease and oil barriers. The supplier also enhanced its light barrier papers range with the inclusion of a 75 g/m². 

In the same arena, StePac’s automated bulk packaging solutions reduced food loss in the US foodservice sector,  recently witnessed in packaged green beans. The fresh produce packaging supplier’s modified atmosphere bulk packaging – under the brand name Xtend – is custom engineered for each individual fruit or vegetable type.

Edited by Kristiana Lalou

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