UAE’s Majid Al Futtaim to use IBM blockchain for food traceability at its Carrefour stores

UAE-headquartered Majid Al Futtaim is tapping into IBM Food Trust’s blockchain to enable customers at its Carrefour stores to track the provenance of their food.

Majid Al Futtaim owns the franchise for Carrefour in the Middle East, Africa, and Asia.

The retailer said on Monday (Feb 22) it will start the system with two categories: Carrefour’s own fresh chicken brand and microgreens harvested from in-store hydroponic farms, before expanding into more product lines.

Customers can scan a QR code on products to get access to food supply chain data, said the company.

“The history of the product, including production process, halal and hygiene certifications, date of birth, nutrition information and temperature data, will be readily available once uploaded onto the blockchain,” Majid Al Futtaim said.

The company is working with its supplier partners for a broader participation in the project in the UAE before starting the system at its other Carrefour stores in the Middle East, Africa, and Asia.

IBM Food Trust uses blockchain, a decentralised ledger, to record transactions.

Food safety and provenance have become increasingly critical issues in the halal industry. Most recently, Malaysia's "fake halal meat" scandal that broke in December showed up substantial gaps and failings in the current halal certification system.

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