French multinational retailer Carrefour has announced the launch of, what it claims, Europe’s first food blockchain.

According to the official release, the blockchain solution is already being used for free-range Carrefour Quality Line Auvergne chickens. The company said that it will be rolled out to eight more animal and vegetable product lines, such as eggs, cheese, milk, oranges, tomatoes, salmon and ground beef steak.

Carrefour explained that the solution has been designed to guarantee complete product traceability. All parties involved in the supply chain (producers, processors and distributors) would be able to provide traceability information about their particular role and for each batch (dates, places, farm buildings, distribution channels, potential treatments, etc.)

“Become the leader of the food transition for everyone is the aim that Alexandre Bompard has set for the Carrefour group. Making use of blockchain technology is an exemplary step in meeting this aim. This is a first in Europe and will provide consumers with guaranteed complete transparency as far as the traceability of our products is concerned”, explains Laurent Vallée, Carrefour's general secretary and head of quality and food safety.

Every product’s label will feature a QR Code which consumers will be able to scan using their smartphones. With this, they will get information about the product and the journey it has taken – from where it was reared right up to when it was placed on the shelves.