Food fraud in the UK is rampant, particularly with honey, where 96% of imported honey is found to be counterfeit. Despite calls for enhanced traceability by the UK Food Standards Agency and European Commission, traditional traceability methods remain vulnerable to tampering. The practice of Economically Motivated Adulteration (EMA) complicates authenticity, making it hard to detect fake honey due to the use of refined substitutes. The current supply chain is fragmented, complicating the verification of authenticity, and estimates suggest that around 1% of the global food industry, roughly $40 billion annually, is impacted by fraud. The EU’s Digital Product Passport initiative aims to improve transparency through digital tracking by 2030, but critics argue it falls short by not considering the possible manipulation of certificates. In contrast, Self-Sovereign Identity (SSI) can provide a more secure solution by offering verifiable credentials that are cryptographically protected, making product fraud harder to perpetrate. SSI empowers consumers to authenticate product origins directly, reducing reliance on flawed systems and promoting trust in the food supply chain.

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