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Abstract
The purpose of this study with participation from the Council of Supply Chain Management Professionals CSCMP, the Voluntary Interindustry Commerce Solutions VICS Association, Dillard’s, and Procter & Gamble, was to determine the feasibility of Class 1 Generation 2 UHF RFID as a potential sales floor level theft deterrent system. To fully comprehend this feasibility, the technical performance capabilities of standard UHF RFID tags and readers were compared to two common existing electronic article surveillance EAS technologies-acousto-magnetic AM and radio frequency electronic article surveillance RF-EAS-at an exit door portal to provide a reference. A variety of baseline tests were performed on all the technologies, and then a series of shoplifting scenarios were investigated. The baseline tests were designed to provide some controlled feedback on the general functionality of the respective technologies; the shoplifting scenarios provided insight into the technologies’ uses in a realistic, albeit simulated, environment but were not designed to necessarily defeat the technologies. Overall, RFID performed satisfactorily in the baseline and shoplifting scenarios-enough to warrant further investigation of RFID as a theft deterrent system.
Summary
This study, involving CSCMP, VICS, Dillard’s, and Procter & Gamble, investigates the feasibility of using Class 1 Generation 2 UHF RFID as a theft deterrent system on retail sales floors. The study compares UHF RFID to two existing electronic article surveillance (EAS) technologies—Acousto-Magnetic (AM) and Radio Frequency (RF-EAS)—by testing their performance at exit portals through baseline tests and simulated shoplifting scenarios.
The goal was to assess RFIDs potential as a perimeter EAS system, not to compare the technologies directly. Results showed that RFID performed well in both controlled and realistic testing conditions, demonstrating its potential for further exploration as an effective theft deterrent. However, the study does not aim to find the optimal performance of any technology, instead focusing on the practical feasibility of RFID in a retail environment.
