Each year, 1.3 billion tons of food are wasted world­wide, says the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization. And 6.43 million tons of it originates in Japan, according to the Japanese government in 2016—the most recent data available. Recognizing the importance of reducing such waste—not only because it matters on a global scale…

Each year, 1.3 billion tons of food are wasted world­wide, says the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization. And 6.43 million tons of it originates in Japan, according to the Japanese government in 2016—the most recent data available.

Recognizing the importance of reducing such waste—not only because it matters on a global scale but also because securing a more efficient food supply matters to the country’s future—the Government of Japan enacted legislation in May that aims to cut the loss.

And businesses are cooperating. Seven-Eleven Japan Co., Ltd. and Lawson Inc. announced shortly after that they would discount onigiri (rice balls) and obento (lunch boxes) nearing expiration. It was a move that could be implemented using traditional labels, but could be enhanced by the use of radio frequency identification (RFID) tags, a technology that originated in World War II but has become a key part of modern inventory management.

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Source: Cutting food waste and staffing costs with RFID – Japan Today