New RFID tech solution makes foray into fresh bakery

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New RFID tech solution makes foray into fresh bakery

24 Oct 2025

Mari Rydings

Mari Rydings is a versatile content creator, editor and marketer with experience developing dynamic, results-driven materials for B2B and B2C audiences. As the editorial director for Avant Food Media, she leads the day-to-day editorial operations for the company’s print and digital magazines, newsletters and social media platforms. Outside of work, she loves reading, hiking, putting together jigsaw puzzles and spending time with her husband and their twin daughters.

MENTOR, OH — Reducing food waste and ensuring freshness are top priorities for consumers, food manufacturers and retailers. Addressing those goals can be challenging when it comes to the fresh food category.

Walmart and Avery Dennison announced they will work together to create and test a first-of-its-kind sensor technology that brings radio frequency identification (RFID) labels to fresh departments, including bakery, meat and deli. Using RFID technology in high-moisture, cold environments is a viable solution to a longstanding industry challenge.

“By giving each item its own digital identity, associates instantly know the freshness of the foods they are handling, enabling better inventory management and resulting in less waste.” — Julie Vargas | VP and GM | Avery Dennison Identification Solutions

The first-to-market innovation is expected to transform fresh food inventory processes; enhance associate and customer experiences; and make operations smarter, faster and more sustainable. With Avery Dennison’s RFID solutions, Walmart associates can track inventory faster and more accurately, making sure products stay stocked for consumers. Plus, digital use-by dates will help associates rotate products more efficiently and make smarter markdown decisions, helping reduce the amount of unsold food.

“We believe technology should make things easier for both our associates and our customers,” said Christyn Keef, VP of front end transformation for Walmart U.S. “By cutting down on manual work, we’re giving our associates more time to focus on what really matters — helping our customers.”

The collaboration also ties into Walmart’s broader sustainability goals, which include cutting global operational food loss and waste intensity in half by 2030.

“Supporting Walmart with first-to-market RFID innovation across multiple fresh food categories underscores our mutual commitment to people and the planet,” said Julie Vargas, VP and GM of Avery Dennison Identification Solutions. “By giving each item its own digital identity, associates instantly know the freshness of the foods they are handling, enabling better inventory management and resulting in less waste.”

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