Bluetooth Tag for Vegetables Crates
Shufersal
- Shufersal was founded in Israel in 1958
- Largest retail chain in Israel
- 272 stores, 13,500 employees
- 3 logistics centers
- Cold chain logistics in Shoham on 37,000 m2
- 40 million cartons in incoming goods per year
- 450 trucks in operation every day
- IoT pixels are an invention of Wiliot
- IoT pixel tags designed by Tadbik
Shufersal Integrates Wiliot IoT Pixel into Vegetable Crates
Using Wiliot’s new Reusable Transport Item (RTI) solution, Israel’s largest retailer is the first in the world to control its smart supply chain from farm to store, continuously monitoring the location and temperature of produce to ensure freshness for its customers. The goal of integrating IoT Pixels on vegetable crates is to transparently map the ambient temperature of the supply chain from harvest to warehouse and even to the supermarket.
The IoT Pixels digitize the crate by sending up-to-date temperature and location data to the Wiliot Cloud when activated. Together with other data stored in the Wiliot Cloud, the user can draw conclusions about the shelf life of the crate’s contents on the screen and make real-time recommendations for action. The solution allows companies to continuously track not only their reusable shipping items, but also the contents. Shufersal can accurately track inventory, monitor shipping and delivery, preserve freshness, extend shelf life and dramatically reduce waste.
Vegetables that have a shorter shelf life than others, for example, are then stored at the front of the warehouse so they can be delivered to supermarkets first. Fresh vegetables not only sell more easily; they are also consumed more often instead of being thrown away.
Shufersal Integrates Wiliot IoT Pixel into Vegetable Crates
Using Wiliot’s new Reusable Transport Item (RTI) solution, Israel’s largest retailer is the first in the world to control its smart supply chain from farm to store, continuously monitoring the location and temperature of produce to ensure freshness for its customers. The goal of integrating IoT Pixels on vegetable crates is to transparently map the ambient temperature of the supply chain from harvest to warehouse and even to the supermarket.
The IoT Pixels digitize the crate by sending up-to-date temperature and location data to the Wiliot Cloud when activated. Together with other data stored in the Wiliot Cloud, the user can draw conclusions about the shelf life of the crate’s contents on the screen and make real-time recommendations for action. The solution allows companies to continuously track not only their reusable shipping items, but also the contents. Shufersal can accurately track inventory, monitor shipping and delivery, preserve freshness, extend shelf life and dramatically reduce waste.
Vegetables that have a shorter shelf life than others, for example, are then stored at the front of the warehouse so they can be delivered to supermarkets first. Fresh vegetables not only sell more easily; they are also consumed more often instead of being thrown away.
Shufersal
- Shufersal was founded in Israel in 1958
- Largest retail chain in Israel
- 272 stores, 13,500 employees
- 3 logistics centers
- Cold chain logistics in Shoham on 37,000 m2
- 40 million cartons in incoming goods per year
- 450 trucks in operation every day
- IoT pixels are an invention of Wiliot
- IoT pixel tags designed by Tadbik

IoT Pixels are self-powered, postage stamp-sized computers that communicate wirelessly with the Wiliot cloud and can sense a range of physical and environmental conditions, such as temperature, location changes, and whether the box is full or empty. The IoT Pixel features an additional transparent protective layer on top. A label is affixed to each side of the RTIs. In case one label loses functionality, the other labels secure the temperature data measurement. The expected lifetime of an IoT Pixel is four years.
The IoT Pixel from Wiliot
The Wiliot IoT Pixel is a self-powered Bluetooth computer the size of a postage stamp. It is equipped with a computing unit and a temperature sensor. It can be used to locate individual boxes within a warehouse or delivery vehicle. The IoT Pixel is activated by radio waves emitted by Bluetooth devices. Within a second, the Pixel is charged. It can then transmit data continuosly. The Pixel resembles an adhesive label.
Tadbik and Wiliot are Partners of Shufersal
Prior to the rollout, a six-month pilot phase with vegetable boxes took place at Shufersal in the summer of 2021. For both the test phase and the rollout, Tadbik supplied the IoT Pixels in the form of labels. While the labels were not specifically laminated during the test phase, after the pilot phase Tadbik developed a laminate for the labels that was specifically designed for Shufersal to ensure the resistance of the Pixels to temperature fluctuations, cleaning agents and steam. After each use, the vegetable crates are cleaned with steam and chemicals.
Rollout at Shufersal
During the initial phase of the rollout in 2022, 150,000 boxes were tagged. By the end of 2023, one million RTIs will be equipped with IoT Pixels and a wireless communication infrastructure will be installed to support around 250 farmers and retailers and 300 Shufersal stores. The solution will even include wireless readers and mobile network gateways on farm tractors to ensure supply chain visibility all the way to the borders.
Food Waste and Plastic Waste

In 2020, each Israeli household threw away 1,140 US dollars worth of food.
Food Waste and Plastic Waste
According to the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), 1.3 billion tons of edible food are thrown away every year worldwide. This is equivalent to nearly one-third of the world’ s current food consumption. 10 percent of greenhouse gases are generated by rotting food in landfills. Shufersal, Wiliot and Tadbik present a simple solution to combat global food waste with the IoT Pixel on vegetable crates. Expansions to this are conceivable.
Vegetables should also be eaten while they are fresh. At home, Bluetooth devices in the refrigerator can remind us of approaching expiration dates. Coupled with intelligent apps, recipes could be generated for the food in the refrigerator. IoT Pixels at the individual package level provide the technological basis.
Food Waste and Plastic Waste
According to the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), 1.3 billion tons of edible food are thrown away every year worldwide. This is equivalent to nearly one-third of the world’ s current food consumption. 10 percent of greenhouse gases are generated by rotting food in landfills. Shufersal, Wiliot and Tadbik present a simple solution to combat global food waste with the IoT Pixel on vegetable crates. Expansions to this are conceivable.
Vegetables should also be eaten while they are fresh. At home, Bluetooth devices in the refrigerator can remind us of approaching expiration dates. Coupled with intelligent apps, recipes could be generated for the food in the refrigerator. IoT Pixels at the individual package level provide the technological basis.

In 2020, each Israeli household threw away 1,140 US dollars worth of food.
Minimize RTI Shrinkage
There is a huge shrinkage of shipping containers in food logistics. In some companies, up to 20 percent of the container pool is lost. If transport boxes are delivered directly to the consumer, such as Home Deliveries, the loss of the pool can be up to 40 percent. This leads to the production of new plastic boxes and the consumption of raw materials. With the IoT Pixel, every vegetable box can be found and recalled. Fewer boxes need to be produced and circulated.
The Journey from the Field to the Supermarket

Vegetables in tagged containers. The journey from the field to the supermarket: Storage at 35 °C.
Vegetables in Tagged Containers
1. Harvest at 33 °C
All vegetable crates are equipped with the IoT Pixel. The filling location provides information about the type of vegetable in the crate. Since this field is stored in the Wiliot Cloud as a zucchini field, the contents can only be zucchini.
2. Filling the RTIs at 33 °C
The IoT Pixel captures the ambient temperature, the position and the fill level. It sends this data and its own ID to the Wiliot Cloud. This zucchini box was filled at 33°C on Shahar’s farm in Katzir.
3. Transport at 35 °C
A short time later at the zucchini field: the fully loaded tractor starts its way back to the farm. The temperature in the zucchini box has risen by 2 °C. This is not alarming yet. But the boxes should be stored quickly.
4. Storage at 35 °C
The zucchini boxes are brought from an ambient temperature of 35°C into the cold store. If there were any delays here, the Wiliot Cloud AI would trigger an alarm on the employees’ smartphones.
Vegetables in Tagged Containers
1. Harvest at 33 °C
All vegetable crates are equipped with the IoT Pixel. The filling location provides information about the type of vegetable in the crate. Since this field is stored in the Wiliot Cloud as a zucchini field, the contents can only be zucchini.
2. Filling the RTIs at 33 °C
The IoT Pixel captures the ambient temperature, the position and the fill level. It sends this data and its own ID to the Wiliot Cloud. This zucchini box was filled at 33°C on Shahar’s farm in Katzir.
3. Transport at 35 °C
A short time later at the zucchini field: the fully loaded tractor starts its way back to the farm. The temperature in the zucchini box has risen by 2 °C. This is not alarming yet. But the boxes should be stored quickly.
4. Storage at 35 °C
The zucchini boxes are brought from an ambient temperature of 35°C into the cold store. If there were any delays here, the Wiliot Cloud AI would trigger an alarm on the employees’ smartphones.

Vegetables in tagged containers. The journey from the field to the supermarket: Storage at 35 °C.

Vegetables in tagged containers. The journey from the field to the supermarket: Stable Temperature of 15 °C in Cold Storage
Cold Chain Logistics with RTIs
5. Arrival in Cold Storage (15 °C)
Four hours after picking, the chilled zucchini arrives at the logistics center in Shoham. This innovative logistics center is used for the collection and distribution of temperature-controlled goods such as fruit and vegetables.
6. Stable Temperature of 15 °C in Cold Storage
In the 15 °C cold logistics center, the boxes continuously send the sensor and location data to the Wiliot Cloud. The center is equipped with a comprehensive Bluetooth infrastructure and WLAN so that thousands of IoT Pixels can draw power.
7. Moving the Goods to the Sales Floor at 23 °C
Ten hours after picking, the zucchini boxes arrives at the supermarket. There, they continue to send temperature data to the Wiliot Cloud. Evidently, the vegetable crates are monitoring themselves with the help of the IoT Pixel.
8. Temperature Secured Logistics to the End Consumer
Within the shortest possible time and under ideal conditions from the field to the consumer – this keeps zucchini fresh and tasty. If vegetables such as zucchini or tomatoes are stored for too long and at the wrong temperatures, they lose their flavor.
Cold Chain Logistics with RTIs
5. Arrival in Cold Storage (15 °C)
Four hours after picking, the chilled zucchini arrives at the logistics center in Shoham. This innovative logistics center is used for the collection and distribution of temperature-controlled goods such as fruit and vegetables.
6. Stable Temperature of 15 °C in Cold Storage
In the 15 °C cold logistics center, the boxes continuously send the sensor and location data to the Wiliot Cloud. The center is equipped with a comprehensive Bluetooth infrastructure and WLAN so that thousands of IoT Pixels can draw power.
7. Moving the Goods to the Sales Floor at 23 °C
Ten hours after picking, the zucchini boxes arrives at the supermarket. There, they continue to send temperature data to the Wiliot Cloud. Evidently, the vegetable crates are monitoring themselves with the help of the IoT Pixel.
8. Temperature Secured Logistics to the End Consumer
Within the shortest possible time and under ideal conditions from the field to the consumer – this keeps zucchini fresh and tasty. If vegetables such as zucchini or tomatoes are stored for too long and at the wrong temperatures, they lose their flavor.

Vegetables in tagged containers. The journey from the field to the supermarket: Stable Temperature of 15 °C in Cold Storage
Wiliot IoT Pixel
Wiliot IoT Pixel
- Wiliot founded in 2017 in Israel
- IoT Pixel introduced in 2019
- Version 2.0 January 2022
- 2.8 x 4.4 cm – 0.2 mm thick
- Activated by radio waves
- Range of 10 m
- Lifetime limited only by tag remaining intact
- 150,000 IoT Pixels active at Shufersal
- Approx. 1 million IoT Pixels by the end of 2023
Structure of the Wiliot IoT Pixel
The Wiliot IoT Pixel is not much bigger than a rectangular postage stamp. It measures 2.8 x 4.4 centimeters and is 0.2 millimeters thick. The Wiliot chip with ARM processor is located on a plastic carrier foil under a light barrier layer. This is why the IoT Pixel can rightly be called a Bluetooth computer. The antenna underneath converts radio waves into energy and also transmits data. There is an adhesive layer on the underside of the Pixel.
Functionality of the Pixel
The IoT Pixel uses Bluetooth infrastructure. It is charged and activated by radio waves from WLAN networks or smartphones within one second. It can then transmit data for 20–30 seconds. The data packets are composed of the Pixel’s own identification number (ID) and sensor data. They are encrypted with 128-bit AES. The transmission range of the chip is 10 meters. If there is no WLAN in the vicinity, data can be sent using a bridge device.
Structure of the Wiliot IoT Pixel
The Wiliot IoT Pixel is not much bigger than a rectangular postage stamp. It measures 2.8 x 4.4 centimeters and is 0.2 millimeters thick. The Wiliot chip with ARM processor is located on a plastic carrier foil under a light barrier layer. This is why the IoT Pixel can rightly be called a Bluetooth computer. The antenna underneath converts radio waves into energy and also transmits data. There is an adhesive layer on the underside of the Pixel.
Functionality of the Pixel
The IoT Pixel uses Bluetooth infrastructure. It is charged and activated by radio waves from WLAN networks or smartphones within one second. It can then transmit data for 20–30 seconds. The data packets are composed of the Pixel’s own identification number (ID) and sensor data. They are encrypted with 128-bit AES. The transmission range of the chip is 10 meters. If there is no WLAN in the vicinity, data can be sent using a bridge device.
Wiliot IoT Pixel
- Wiliot founded in 2017 in Israel
- IoT Pixel introduced in 2019
- Version 2.0 January 2022
- 2.8 x 4.4 cm – 0.2 mm thick
- Activated by radio waves
- Range of 10 m
- Lifetime limited only by tag remaining intact
- 150,000 IoT Pixels active at Shufersal
- Approx. 1 million IoT Pixels by the end of 2023

The structure and operation of a Pixel is similar to that of a UHF RFID tag, but it is easier to power and read.
Locating the Vegetable Crate
The contents of the crate are located indirectly via the IoT Pixel on the crate. The basis for this is the ID of the crate, which is created in accordance with the GS1 standard for Global Returnable Asset Identifier (GRAI).
It is composed of a company code, a numeric code for the type of container and a serial number. When multiple Pixels from one area in the cold store or supermarket send their ID, the position of a single crate is calculated relative to the positions of the others.
Charging with Bridge Devices
Bridge devices increase the range and make it possible to filter transmissions from many Pixels to gateways. In addition to radio waves, they also serve as an energy source. Two or three bridge devices are enough to charge thousands of IoT Pixels in a 5×5 m room. The bridges also detect data packets from different IoT Pixels and forward them to the Wiliot Cloud; and they amplify Bluetooth transmissions to gateways. The bridge devices have a 5 V power connection via USB.
The Wiliot Cloud
The IoT Pixels could send data every second and generate large cluttered data sets. To avoid this, the data is already filtered on-site by the Edge. A temperature tolerance range is stored in the Wiliot Cloud for the respective vegetable. Only when the tolerance range is exceeded is data evaluated to a greater extent and a call to action triggered. With the Pixel, Wiliot does not want to eliminate the problem after it has occurred, but to prevent problems.