Blockchains and Transparency in Food Retail

Product Serial: B-2023-01-24a

TLP:CLEAR

In this brief, ZeroFox Intelligence provides an analysis on the use of blockchain technology to provide transparency in food retail.

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Scope Note

ZeroFox Intelligence is derived from a variety of sources, including—but not limited to—curated open-source accesses, vetted social media, proprietary data sources, and direct access to threat actors and groups through covert communication channels. Information relied upon to complete any report cannot always be independently verified. As such, ZeroFox applies rigorous analytic standards and tradecraft in accordance with best practices and includes caveat language and source citations to clearly identify the veracity of our Intelligence reporting and substantiate our assessments and recommendations. All sources used in this particular Intelligence product were identified prior to 5:00 PM (EST) on January 3, 2023; per cyber hygiene best practices, caution is advised when clicking on any third-party links.

Executive Summary

At a time when higher levels of transparency are expected by governments and much of the public, blockchain technology provides an attractive solution for food retail enterprises with global reach to account for their many suppliers and the potential impacts of related dealings. When effectively harnessed, this technology can create an accessible, comprehensive record of the conditions in which products have been sourced. Such a record can also facilitate timely remedial action by highlighting cases in which safety, the public good, or the health of the enterprise itself have been compromised. Additionally, mechanisms known as smart contracts can potentially be incorporated into blockchains to facilitate the enforcement of an enterprise’s requirements of other supply chain participants.