New guidance published by EPCglobal tells retailers and brand owners how they can use a single RFID based tag to cut supply chain costs, avoid stock-outs and monitor theft, and create a better shopping experience. The Strategic Overview Guide and Technical Implementation Guide for GS1 EPCglobal RFID based Electronic Article Surveillance (EAS) relate to reusable and disposable tags. In these guides EPCglobal, a subsidiary of the global not-for-profit standards organisation GS1, explains how to implement RFID based EAS solutions in a retail environment using existing GS1 and GS1 EPCglobal Gen 2 standards.
The next phase of the work will include updates to the technical standards to address tags that are embedded - that is, those not easily removed and require electronic deactivation or tag alteration.
RFIDbased Electronic Article Surveillance (EAS) is designed to deter and detect theft of consumer goods using tags fixed to the product packaging or to an item itself.
The goal is to harness the combined benefits of EPC (Electronic Product Code) and RFID (Radio Frequency Identification) to extend the value of EAS, say the authors of the guides. RFID enables increased visibility, improved inventory tracking and process productivity along the supply chain up to the retail sales floor; and EAS provides item-level theft deterrence, detection, and protection, states EPCglobal.
According to EPCglobal, a single technology and simplified tagging process can reduce costs for retailers and suppliers by having one standardised inventory. This will help drive the adoption of EPC item-level tagging while offsetting the cost; and increase product availability, speed and quality of service, enhancing the shopping experience. Retailers will be able to know when a theft incident is occurring, what was stolen and to re-stock the shelf accordingly.
“There are enormous benefits to combining the advantages of EPC/RFID and EAS technology in a single tag, and the concept is expected to gain support throughout the retail industry,” stated Paul Chamandy, vice president, new business development for label specialist Avery Dennison.
Avery Dennison is a partner in EPCglobal’s EAS Phase 2 Joint Requirement Group, which developed the new guides, along with Metro AG.
Dr Gerd Wolfram, head of CIO-Office at Metro, said: “By using RFID technology for multiple purposes, such as EAS and inventory visibility, we can further integrate supply chain processes and the potential to have distributed benefits for all partners involved is significantly enhanced.”
Partner companies also include Auto-ID Labs – Japan; AXWAY/formerly Cyclone; Best Buy Co; C&A Europe; Carrefour; Certus Warensichenrung-Sys; Checkpoint Systems; Cisc Semiconductor Design and Consulting; Conair Corp, ETRI - Electronics & Telecommunication Research Institute; Gerry Weber International; GS1 Global Office; GS1 Member Organisations; Innovision Research & Technology, Intellident; Invengo Information Technology; Johnson & Johnson; MET Laboratories; Motorola.; Nedap; NXP Semiconductors; Packaging Corporation of America; RF-IT Solutions; Sirit Technologies; STS Emniyet ve Bilisim Sistemleri; Tailorit; Sensormatic/ADT; University of Arkansas; UPM Raflatac; and Walmart.
The guides can be downloaded at no cost by visiting: www.epcglobalinc.org/standards/implementation_guidelines/
