Sainsbury’s has made a multi-million pound technology investment in an attempt to counter fresh produce wastage.
It is hoped the new technology will minimise the problems associated with the unpredictable nature of British weather.
It is hoped real time supply chain technology will reduce the amount of food remaining unpurchased by 15 per cent during periods of “unexpected weather” of which there were six last year.
The system is expected to result in an annual carbon dioxide reduction of more than 1400 tonnes.
The system, which will monitor the food coming off supermarket shelves on a minute-by-minute basis, allows the company to know exactly which food to send to individual stores each day.
Tim Goalen, Sainsbury's supply chain director, said: "This new system allows us to react to any changes in buying pattern on the same day rather than overnight, meaning we can make far better decisions on where to send stock before it leaves our depots.
"Several times a year, shelves might be full of barbecue food for the weekend, only for unexpected rain to cause everyone to clamour for warm, hearty food instead. This new way of working will greatly reduce the risk of this.
"It's not just the weather either. We will now know exactly what is selling well at any given moment so we can react more quickly than any of our competitors, and provide our customers with what they want on any given day."
The new system is unique and has been tailored specifically to meet Sainsbury's requirements.
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