Salad specialist Picadeli taps Digimarc for anti-fraud tech

Fast-growing premium salad bar chain Picadeli has turned to Digimarc to tackle the issue of fraud at self-checkouts.

So-called product look-up (PLU) fraud occurs when people enter a code for a lower-priced item at checkout leading to loss of revenue for the store.

Sweden's Picadeli – which has pioneered the concept of fast food in a healthy salad format and operates hundreds of outlets across Finland, France, Germany, Belgium, Luxembourg and the US – will add Digimarc's digital watermarking to its distinctive 'green bowl' branded packaging.

Aside from a period of shrinkage during the pandemic, Picadeli's growth has seen rapid since it first launched in 2009 as consumers increasingly opt for a healthy, affordable meal option.

A key part of its success stems from the GreenFoods subsidiary's use of artificial intelligence and connected refrigerated counters to match orders to ingredient supplies, ensuring its salads stay fresh and all but eliminating food waste.

In a statement, Picadeli said that retailers are facing rising challenges PLU fraud at self-checkout, particularly in areas like produce, deli counters, and salad bars, citing a recent study that found retail shrink rates for businesses using self-checkout lanes are more than double the industry average at almost 4 per cent.

Digimarc's invisible watermarks are embedded throughout the packaging, providing protection that is resistant to tampering and ensuring product information remains intact during self-checkout, according to the company.

Unlike traditional barcodes that can be manipulated or obscured, Digimarc’s technology maintains checkout accuracy without compromising packaging design or operational efficiency, it added.

"As Picadeli scales fresh meals via its AI-powered Salad Bar across the US, we’re committed to helping our retail partners eliminate shrink," commented Patrik Hellstrand, chief executive of Picadeli US.

"Our collaboration with Digimarc addresses key challenges like PLU fraud to ensure profitable store operations and a frictionless consumer shopping experience," he added. "It's an extension of our mission to innovate and disrupt the fresh food market with cutting-edge technologies."