Why Walmart will track its merchandise with millions of sensors starting this year

Group 1 - Walmart is deploying millions of ambient IoT sensors on its pallets across its supply chain, marking the first large-scale deployment of such technology in the retail industry [1][2] - The technology is currently in use at 500 Walmart locations, with plans for nationwide expansion to 4,600 Supercenters, Neighborhood Markets, and over 40 distribution centers by 2026 [2] - The battery-free sensors harvest energy from various sources, generating high-resolution supply chain data that integrates with Walmart's AI systems [2] Group 2 - Walmart aims to enhance supply chain efficiency, improve inventory accuracy, and ensure cold chain compliance through real-time insights on merchandise location [3] - The company's fiscal second-quarter earnings report for 2026 showed revenue of $116.9 billion, a 2.3% increase from the previous year, with net income rising to $4.1 billion, up 1.3% [4] - Diluted earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter were $1.24, reflecting a 5.1% increase compared to $1.18 in the prior year [4]