Consumers in the city of Xian in northwestern China are now able to track information about the food they buy. The “full-chain traceability system” uses technologies inducing QR codes and big data to provide details about merchants and vendors handling food. The information also helps retailers better analyse sales data to improve their stocking operations and cut costs. Customers have grown to rely on the system which was first tested in the city in 2015 and implemented two years later.