A supply chain is a system of entities that are involved in the process of creating a product and distributing it to consumers. This supply chain often involves suppliers, manufacturers, wholesalers, retailers, and consumers, where the product moves in the direction shown in Figure 12.1. The actors involved in the supply chain are often spread across several locations, which can make it challenging to keep track of the goods in the supply chain:

Every finished product moves along the supply chain due to the involvement of multiple entities during its production and distribution. But due to the complex nature of a supply chain, it's hard to keep track of provenance. Most existing provenance tracking is performed with the help of trusted third parties because none of the entities...