RFID and anti-theft tags: what’s the difference?

At a time when product security and inventory management becomr major issues for companies, RFID and anti-theft tags become essential solutions. Although complementary, they serve different purposes. RFID and anti-theft tags each have their own role to play in the supply chain and in securing goods.

RFID: a technology for traceability/span>

RFID (Radio Frequency Identification) uses radio waves to identify and track an object, thanks to a RFID tag consisting of an aluminium antenna and a chip. This chip contains specific data that can be read remotely by a RFID reader.

The RFID tag facilitates inventories, product traceability and stock management in warehouses and stores. It also makes it possible to determine exactly which part numbers are dispatched when a truck is loaded, and which ones are received when it is unloaded, thus avoiding any misunderstanding between sender and receiver.

Standard RFID paper Tags

Antitheft: a technology for point-of-sale security

The anti-theft label is designed to prevent in-store theft. It relies on special antennas that trigger an alarm when an item crosses a protected zone without being desactivated at the checkout.

Unlike RFID, the anti-theft tag does not provide product data, but acts solely as a security guarantee. It is a simple, effective solution for securing items at the point of sale.

Radio-frequency anti-theft tag

RFID and anti-theft technologies: what are the key differences?

Objective

RFID technology is mainly used for inventory management, item identification, product traceability and the automation of logistics processes such as stocktaking. It enables precise, real-time tracking of items.

The anti-theft label, for its part, aims to prevent theft by ensuring the security of products at points of sale equipped with suitable gates.

Data exchange

A RFID tag contains a unique identifier enabling each item to be identified and traced independently, facilitating inventory or shipping/receiving operations, for example.

An anti-theft tag, on the other hand, only transmits a simple detection signal, indicating the presence or passage of an unidentified, individually protected object close to the reading antenna.

Range and operation

Depending on the antenna selected, the type of reader used and the environment, the reading distance of RFID varies between a few dozen centimetres and ten metres. Mass reading is possible when required for specific applications, such as timekeeping. The reading distance of anti-theft devices is less, for a few meters at most, and the reading is unitary. The detection of a product in the vicinity of the gantries, or reading antennas, generates the device’s buzzer, while the detection of a RFID tag provides information on the product itself, according to the information encoded on it.

Cost

The implementation of a RFID solution represents a higher investment, due to the cost of the tags, readers and associated infrastructure, enabling the ERP to display product details in plain text via its unique identifier.

Conversely, anti-theft tags are more economical and easier to deploy, as they require no encoding and are immediately functional.

Application areas

RFID is particularly well suited to sectors requiring precise flow management, such as warehousing, logistics, industry and healthcare.
Anti-theft technologies are more widely used in retail outlets, particularly in the cosmetics, multimedia, spirits and convenience goods sectors.

Les RFID and anti-theft label solutions from Etik Ouest

Etik Ouest offers RF (8.2 MHz) technology anti-theft labels, designed for discreet, effective protection. They can be visible or concealed, and are suitable for a wide variety of products.

Etik Ouest also supplies customized RFID labels, designed for intelligent inventory management and product traceability.

Conclusion

The RFID tags ensures product traceability and optimizes logistics management thanks to remote reading and real-time tracking, while the anti-theft tag is designed to guarantee in-store security by detecting any attempted theft. In specific cases, the RFID antenna, combined with in-store gantries of the same frequency, can also act as an anti-theft device, offering a hybrid solution for retailers familiar with this technology.

Etik Ouest can help you integrating these technologies with customized solutions. Contact us to discuss on your project!

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