Walmart tells its produce suppliers to use blockchain

The retail giant is requiring its leafy green produce suppliers to integrate a blockchain-based tracking system by September 2019. The blockchain system is built in collaboration with IBM and will make it easier for Walmart to trace the entire supply chain lifecycle of its produce.

The move comes in response to an E. coli outbreak earlier this year where consumers were urged to avoid lettuce grown near Yuma, Arizona. It turned out the packaging meant it was impossible for consumers to know where the greens were sourced. "in the future, using the technology we're requiring, a customer could potentially scan a bag of salad and know with certainty where it came from," said Walmart vice president of food safety Frank Yiannas. (Source: CoinDesk)