Consumer's Right to Information
As we celebrate World Consumer Rights Day on March 15 every year, each individual has the right to know information about the origin, quality, and standard of the numerous ingredients, goods, and services they purchase. The COVID-19 epidemic has caused increased fear and uncertainty, causing priorities to change and encouraging people to take a more responsible and holistic approach to food habits.
Professionals in the agri-food industry are dedicated to creating traceability solutions that consider the reality of the product story and those in charge of it. Companies can do their part by providing vital product information to satisfy consumer’s right to be informed.
Importance of Food Information transparency
With changing trends in food consumption, consumers are deeply interested in accessing detailed information not just on the origin of food products, but the sustainability standards met, and the procurement details to verify the feasibility of their products. Although a fair amount of information needs to be included while selling the product, we also have a dire responsibility to safeguard against misleading claims, greenwashing, bogus ESG claims, and information asymmetry.
Traceability plays an important role in displaying product data, and claims may be justified with relevant certification details and quality checking. The upcoming new regulations insist on furnishing information pertaining to environmental impact and human rights violation.
Showcasing product story to consumers helps with supply chain visibility
With the use of traceability, companies can now tell the story of their product to consumers in a more transparent and engaging way. Furthermore, businesses can track commodities as they move up the supply chain and learn precise details about the origin of inputs, supplier sourcing methods, and conversion procedures. By using this information, companies can track their supply chain, allowing them to showcase their story to customers more comprehensively and interactively while giving them access to real-time data to make an informed decision about what they buy. This information enables companies to build trust and loyalty among customers by highlighting the human element behind each product. This makes it easier for consumers to connect with brands on an emotional level which can lead to increased sales and customer satisfaction.
Supply chain information plays a pivotal role in ensuring food safety.
A traceable supply chain plays an immense role in safeguarding against food hazards as the digital trail of food products allows us to track information on adulteration or counterfeits happening in the various stages of production. The infamous horse meat scandal in 2013 raised a great hue and cried in several parts of Europe on the authenticity of product label information. About ten years ago, the Horsegate (commonly called) scandal emerged, bringing attention to the public and the media to the food industry’s brittle supply chain networks. A visible supply chain increases trust among consumers and helps in fighting food fraud.
Food supply chain information and blockchain traceability technology
The horsemeat incident undoubtedly taught us how vulnerable to fraud and crime the food business can be and that where there are information gaps, there are individuals who would take advantage of them. This creates a need for technological solutions that offer transparent product information.
Food supply chain information is essential for assuring product traceability, which allows both manufacturers and customers to easily determine where their food comes from. Its potential advantages is listed below:
- Efficient track and trace systems are endowed with traceability technology.
- It plays a pivotal role in ensuring food safety.
- Helps with fighting food hazards
- The product data helps with the analysis of supply chain risks.
- The blockchain-embedded feature adds a layer of definite time stamps to assist with data tampering.
- Helps in verifying organic claims.
Information on sustainability standards paves the way for compliance
Sustainability standards are becoming increasingly crucial for businesses that want to stay competitive in the market. As customers are always looking for green and sustainable alternatives, businesses that don’t comply can quickly find themselves left behind. Businesses that try to be more environmentally conscious are required to follow specific guidelines in order to remain compliant. By understanding these standards, they can ensure that their operations are in line with the latest regulations and demonstrate their commitment to sustainability. This will also help them build trust with their customers and increase brand loyalty, as customers appreciate companies that prioritize sustainability.
In a world where information rules, digital traceability allows businesses to balance a wider range of business goals, such as efficiency, resilience, responsiveness, and sustainability. The food industry is being compelled to become more sustainable, and an end-to-end traceability tool opens windows to providing information emphasizing green credentials paving the way for ESG compliance.