Lidl Austria and Imprint Analytics GmbH cooperate to secure regional production and ensure integrity in national supply chains
Lidl in Austria has been working with Imprint Analytics GmbH since 2020.
Dr. Silvia Greimel, Head of Quality Assurance at Lidl Austria, commented on the importance of the collaboration for local agriculture: "Origin and regionality are very important to our customers. By working with Imprint Analytics, we can verify the origin of regional products and thus ensure that products labelled as local really do come from Austria. In this way, we not only ensure customer trust, but also that domestic producers are not disadvantaged by unfair practices"
This partnership is an important step in promoting local and regional fresh produce, ensuring the integrity of the supply chain and meeting standards for sustainability and ethical sourcing.
The geographical origin is verified by directly comparing the fresh products with robust and trustworthy reference samples. Imprint Analytics organises an annual reference sample collection programme covering several regions and areas. The verification uses a unique fingerprint (the so-called multi-isotope fingerprint) that is characteristic of the product and the place of growth. The assessment is based on the statistical processing of the isotope data and is therefore the only way to verify the declared origin by testing the product itself.
Dr. David Psomiadis, CEO of Imprint Analytics, highlighted the role of the partnership in building consumer trust and prevention of fraud. "We are committed to product integrity and transparency. Together with Lidl Austria, we are verifying the geographical origin of regional fruit and vegetables to protect consumers and secure supply chains."
Dr. Bernd Bodiselitsch, founder and CEO of Imprint Analytics, emphasised the broader impact of the collaboration. "This partnership is not just about avoiding fraud. It's about supporting farmers and building stable supply chains."
The collaboration between Lidl Austria and Imprint Analytics is a commitment to responsible sourcing, fraud prevention and consumer confidence in regional agriculture.