Iceland Foods has confirmed the creation of a new initiative which will roll out AI-powered technology aimed at reducing food waste across its store estate.

The company has announced that it will deploy Retail Insight’s WasteInsight platform, which analyses operational data to identify products at risk of going to waste and recommends markdowns designed to clear stock while protecting margin.

The tech is intended to help store teams intervene earlier, rather than relying solely on manual processes or retrospective reporting.

The software prioritises products that require attention and suggests actions based on a range of operational data points, with the aim of improving consistency in how markdowns and waste reduction are managed across stores.

Retail Insight general manager for EMEA and APAC Martin Rigby said: “Retailers have access to more operational data than ever before, but data only creates value when it enables better decisions.

“The opportunity is to move from reporting what has already happened to identifying where action is needed before waste occurs.”

He added that the partnership would help Iceland identify products requiring intervention sooner and enable colleagues to “intervene earlier and with greater confidence”.

Iceland Foods stores director Steve Shirley said reducing food waste remained “an important priority” for the retailer.

“We are continually looking at ways to improve how we use operational data to support our colleagues in making faster, better-informed decisions in stores,” he said.

“Working with Retail Insight will help us explore how AI-driven operational intelligence can support our waste reduction objectives while improving consistency across our store operations.”

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