Walmart has announced a partnership with tech manufacturer Avery Dennison to begin using RFID technology for the retailer's perishable groceries, as part of an initiative to address waste and ensure that customers have access to fresh food.

According to an October 22 release, Walmart plans to use RFID labels to provide digital use-by dates to monitor the freshness of its offerings across its meat, bakery and deli departments. This will allow employees to rotate products out more efficiently, and make informed decisions about when to reduce prices on foods that are approaching their sell-by points.

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

The company also hopes the new RFID labels will help it cut back on food waste through improved inventory management. Walmart has a goal to cut operational food loss and waste in half by 2030. In 2022, the company diverted 78% of its unsold products, packaging and materials away from landfills and incineration, and toward food banks and other agencies serving local communities. Walmart has also developed tools that can measure food waste across its supply chain, and has invested in technology to re-process unsold food for organizations in need.