Italy Explores Blockchain to Trace Goods in Various Markets

Blockchain solutions allow tracking goods through the entire supply chain. A large number of consumers in Italy are highly interested in knowing their origin, how these products are manufactured, handled, transported and other important processes being involved. Companies need to up their game to meet the demands of their customers.

This is one of the reasons why the large-scale retail trade and some food brands have started investing in innovative projects to oversee all the processes happening in the product chain so as they become more accessible and transparent to their clients. The labels can be framed using the smartphones and portable computers to provide information about the product’s origin its path, especially food products in the store shelves or supermarkets.

Different supermarket projects and other large-scale distribution initiatives are turning to innovative technologies especially blockchain and distributed ledger technology (DLT) to conduct a secure and transparent tracking of the production chain with the aim of monitoring every process that takes place in the supply chain.

Blockchain, Everywhere You Go

A good example is that of Auchan Retail Italia, the company launched the use of blockchain technology globally and is also taking an initiative further to the peninsula, beginning with the supply of carrots this month. Other startups such as Coop, Big Group, Carrefour, Barilla, Te-Food are also using this novelty to ensure that the entire products’ life is securely and easily accessible by customers, with maximum transparency.   

Before the end of next month, Auchan plans to extend its services and use the technology in the supply chain of chicken. The company deals in over 40 supply chains and some of them are from the agricultural sector such as meat, pasteurized and fresh milk, vegetable, fish, oil, tomato, egg, fruits, etc. So if the company uses the innovation in all these supply chains, it will experience a boom in its growth and usage.   

Furthermore, Spinosa, a firm dealing in DOP buffalo mozzarella and derivatives, rolled out a blockchain certification initiative for its mozzarella products, to make their chain easily accessible to its esteemed customers. To get the necessary information (origin, manufacture and expiry date, weight, etc.), consumers scan a QR Code that is attached to the product/package.   

In this game, Italy is on the forefront. The country is actively exploring the technology for goods traceability and fighting counterfeits beyond the food industry. The country through the ministry of economic development ( MiSE), launched a pilot project aimed at protecting Made in Italy goods and services especially the textile and fashion sector, using innovations. Italy is also looking for the best ways of how to improve the wine products to maintain its brand and reputation and further prevent counterfeits from mixing with or entering into the Italian wine market.   

Keeping the Environment Clean Using Blockchain

Blockchain technology is also used for the traceability of bioplastics, which helps protect the environment from mountains of trash. The issue of environmental degradation has also been considered and one of the ways to manage it is through the technology. Some companies including a startup dealing in bioplastics, EarthBi, have started the initiative of using blockchain to keep the environment clean so as to contribute to sustainable living in the country.   

EarthBi is realized through production activities which also use the technology to ensure transparency on the technical characteristics of the good and traceability aimed at preventing and lowering environmental pollution caused by plastic. Blockchain makes it possible and easy to track these products   

Basing on a survey on Eurostat data, Italy is among the top exporters of non-recycled plastic waste, ranking 11th in the world rankings. In the year 2018 the country exported more than 197,000 tons of plastic, and if these products are not properly disposed of, ends up polluting the seas, rivers, land, and hence affecting the marine life and agricultural production, with a serious direct danger to human health through the consumed food that comes from the soils of the damaged environment.  

The ecological shock that is shocking customers and major institutions is bringing a new awareness to this serious problem. However, one of the significant solutions comes specifically from Italy and that is blockchain.

Source text:  https://it.coinidol.com/italia-esplora-blockchain/