Kroger Adapts RFID Tech in Bakery Department

Grocer partners with Avery Dennison to automate inventory management and freshness optimization

10/23/2024

Kroger will use RFID sensors to enable item-level digital identification for greater inventory accuracy to maximize freshness, reduce waste and optimize associates’ time.

Digital identification solutions company Avery Dennison has revealed that it will work with The Kroger Co. to build a better associate and customer experience through RFID inventory automation technology. This collaboration makes item-level digital identification possible, enabling more frequent and more accurate inventory information to maximize freshness, reduce waste and improve the associate experience.

This strategic collaboration will begin in the bakery department, implementing RFID-embedded labels on each item, providing significant time savings and valuable data to automate inventory management and freshness optimization. According to Avery Dennison, it’s a foundational step in delivering a more seamless customer and associate experience across all fresh categories in the long term.

“Kroger’s customers and associates are at the heart of everything we do,” said Jordan Poff, VP of retail operations at Kroger. “Our work with Avery Dennison will improve inventory visibility, which means products will be on the shelves when our customers want them, while enabling our associates to spend more time with our customers.”

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Julie Vargas, VP and general manager of identification solutions at Avery Dennison, affirmed: “For decades, Avery Dennison has been the driving force behind connecting physical products with a digital identity to unlock data accuracy and efficiency in retail and supply chain operations. With this collaboration, we are committed to Kroger’s initiatives to optimize associate time, reduce waste from overproduction and ultimately deliver a uniquely valuable customer experience.”

Mentor, Ohio-based Avery Dennison serves an array of industries worldwide — including home and personal care, apparel, general retail, e-commerce, logistics, food and grocery, pharmaceuticals, and automotive — in more than 50 countries. The company reported 2023 sales of $8.4 billion.

Cincinnati-based Kroger serves more than 11 million customers daily through a digital shopping experience and retail food stores under a variety of banner names. The grocer employs 420,000 associates and is No. 4 on The PG 100, Progressive Grocer’s 2024 list of the top food and consumables retailers in North America. PG also named Kroger one of its Retailers of the Century.