Albert Heijn deploys AI to reduce bread waste

Albert Heijn is rolling out a new approach to tackle food waste in its bakery section. The supermarket is combining smart baking with dynamic pricing across all stores. Using AI, the assortment of bread products is better aligned with demand. Products that remain unsold receive increasing discounts later in the day. The retailer expects this to prevent more than 2 million kilograms of food waste annually.

Smart baking and pricing

Bread is one of the most challenging categories when it comes to waste. Albert Heijn is therefore implementing a combined approach using internally developed AI systems. This technology predicts how much bread each store needs and adjusts this throughout the day.

Unsold bread products are discounted in stages. Discounts can reach up to 70 percent. These are visible via the AH app under ‘Last Chance Deals’ and on electronic shelf labels in store. The nationwide rollout of dynamic pricing for bread started on May 4.

‘Bak’ app as a foundation

The approach builds on the introduction of the ‘Bak’ application. This internal tool was introduced in all stores in the summer of 2025. The application supports bakery department staff with AI-driven forecasts.

Throughout the day, the application calculates how much bread is needed, allowing the assortment to be adjusted accordingly. In the second half of 2025, this led to 815,000 kilograms less bread being wasted in the company’s own stores.

Part of ‘Last Chance Deals’

The approach is part of the broader ‘Last Chance Deals’ concept. Products nearing their expiration date are offered at a lower price. This helps customers make more conscious choices for products that might otherwise go to waste.

Sjoerd Holleman, Director of Product, AI & Specialty Brands at Albert Heijn: “I am proud that we are now bringing together smart baking and dynamic pricing in the bakery section. The challenge is particularly significant in this category. By combining technology and AI with attractive prices for customers, we are making an impact by both reducing food waste and improving affordability for customers.”

Ah.nl