Midcounties Co-operative, in Bourton-on-the-Water, in Gloucestershire, has become the first retailer in the UK to make it mandatory for suppliers to provide information about the source of their products.
It has introduced a new scanning technology, which provides consumers with information about the journey of the ingredients used in the development of products sold under the Best of our Counties range.
The QR codes are available at the point of sale and can be accessed through the Happerley app, which is compatible on Android and iPhone devices.
'A Sign Of Reassurance'
Happerley founder Matthew Rymer said, "The Happerley mark shows the supplier has no need to hide its ingredients, and that there’s a value to its ingredients that it is keen to reflect.
"Ultimately, we want this to be a sign of reassurance, so the consumer can explore the journey of their ingredients," added Rymer.
The new technology was unveiled at the store in Bourton, amidst a host of participating food and drink producers.
The MasterChef quarter-finalist for this year, Sarah Dugdale, was also present at the event.
A question-and-answer session was held with a panel of guests, who spoke about various topics on consumer interest, including communities, sustainability, packaging, welfare, environment, energy, nutrition and education.
Transparent Food Chain
The chief executive of Midcounties Co-operative, Phil Ponsonby, said, "Transparency in the UK food supply chain is something that consumers are increasingly becoming more aware of.
"The Happerley app will allow our customers to find out exactly where their food has come from and the journey it’s been on to reach their plates, and we’re proud we can prove traceability in our locally sourced products," Ponsonby added.
Happerley is a UK-based organisation that is seeking to develop a transparent supply chain and enable customers to learn about the journey of their food, from the farm to the supermarket shelves.
© 2019 European Supermarket Magazine – your source for the latest retail news. Article by Dayeeta Das. Click subscribe to sign up to ESM: European Supermarket Magazine.
