Japanese firms go high-tech in battle against food waste

Smart solution: To reduce food waste, Lawson Inc has started using AI to estimate how much product on shelves may go unsold or fall short of demand. — Reuters

TOKYO: Japanese companies are ramping up the use of artificial intelligence and other advanced technology to reduce waste and cut costs in the pandemic, and are looking to score sustainability points along the way.

Disposing of Japan’s more than six million tonnes in food waste costs the world’s No.3 economy some two trillion yen (RM76bil) a year, government data shows. With the highest food waste per capita in Asia, the Japanese government has enacted a new law to halve such costs from 2000 levels by 2030, pushing companies to find solutions.