Insight sessions highlighting the transformative power of intelligent labels and new research into the true cost of food waste lined up for NRF 2026

NEW YORK CITY — January 07, 2026 – Avery Dennison (NYSE: AVY), a global leader in materials science and digital identification solutions, is set to present the power of possibility at NRF 2026: Retail’s Big Show (booth #5111), revealing how intelligent items provide retail teams with greater visibility and the power to act with speed and confidence.

During the event from January 11 – 13 at the Javits Convention Center in New York, Avery Dennison will join business leaders, experts and partners in exploring how recent advances in radio frequency identification (RFID) and Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) sensors are reimagining retail. Dedicated sessions will cover the increasingly important role of digital identification solutions and how leading grocers are leveraging the technology to reimagine fresh food management.

Big Ideas sessions

Bill Toney, vice president of advanced technology, Solutions Group at Avery Dennison, will form part of an esteemed panel exploring the transformative power of RFID technology and its role as a foundational layer for AI-driven advancements. Moderated by Dr. Bill Hardgrave, President of the University of Memphis, Bill will be joined by Hervé d'Halluin, Leader RFID & Traceability at Decathlon, and Art Miller, Global Head of Retail at Qualcomm, to discuss how RFID is revolutionizing supply chain operations and in-store experiences on a global scale. The panel will consider how the technology will expand past inventory accuracy to future use cases across the supply chain, from factory to retail to consumer experience, as well as how RFID is enabling the next generation of AI-powered tools and strategies.

The Big Ideas session entitled The Future of Retail: How RFID Lays a Foundation for AI-Driven Analytics in Supply Chains and In-Store Experiences, will take place on Sunday 11 January, 1pm EST, Level 1, Stage 3.

The company’s second Big Ideas session will see Julie Vargas, VP/GM, Enterprise Intelligent Labels Growth at Avery Dennison, joined by Jonathan Olsen, senior director, In Stock & Innovation at The Kroger Co. The conversation will shed light on how the latest innovations in RFID sensor technology are setting a new standard in fresh operations, empowering store teams with the critical visibility, tools and information they need to better manage fresh inventory. Findings from Avery Dennison’s new global research study revealing the hidden cost of food waste across the retail supply chain, will be shared, along with insights into how Kroger is leading the way in adopting technology to help tackle this complex global challenge to reduce avoidable food loss and drive sales.

The Avery Dennison Big Ideas session entitled Revolutionizing Fresh Operations: Embracing RFID in Grocery to Reduce Waste and Drive Sales, will take place on Monday 12 January, 11am EST, Level 1, Stage 3.

Groundbreaking research into food waste

Company experts will be on hand throughout the event to share research findings, revealing how food waste continues to erode margins and remains one of the least visible problems in the global retail supply chain. Based on a survey of 3,500 global food retailers and supply chain leaders, with independent economic modeling, the accompanying report shows the cost of food waste across the global supply chain is forecast to reach $540 billion by 2026. It also announces that, on average, food waste costs are equivalent to 33% of total revenues in the food retail supply chain annually from post-farm up to the point-of-sale.

Avery Dennison booth experience

Visitors to the Avery Dennison booth can discover the power of connecting physical and digital retail worlds, embodying the company’s commitment to Making Possible. From source to store to second life, the booth experience will show how visibility drives agility, trust and precision throughout the supply chain.

Avery Dennison will showcase a series of capabilities during the event through engaging booth demonstrations, including solutions that support inventory management, item visibility, loss prevention and circularity. One key innovation featured will be Avery Dennison’s new series of RFID inlays specifically designed to meet the unique challenges of tagging fresh food items, enabling expanded use cases for intelligent labeling within grocery, as spotlighted in the recent Walmart announcement and prior Kroger announcement. Beauty will be another emerging category spotlighted, with a range of RFID-integrated packaging and focus toward integrated source-tagging allowing the industry to achieve full item visibility without compromising premium brand design.

Francisco Melo, president, Intelligent Labels Technologies and Digital Solutions at Avery Dennison, says: “Building intelligence into every item helps supply chains become more transparent, while maximizing efficiency and productivity of retail operations and improving the consumer experience. We’re reimagining what’s possible by building innovative, connected solutions. We can’t wait to bring this to life at NRF.”