Product tagging best practices

Because of the nature of RFID technology, it's important that products be properly tagged. Watch this short webinar on some tagging best practices.

Guiding Principles

First, there are a few guiding principles on tagging products:

• Antennas read RFID tags from above, so the tag should be placed towards the top of the product
• Products should use the appropriate tag type based on characteristics such as packaging, contents, and whether it will be microwaved
• Tags should never be folded in half except the flag fold on the Metal and Drink Flag tags
• Tags should never be reused after they've been stocked in a store

Hard Packaging

For tagging products with hard packaging, such as salads, snack boxes, or drinks:

• Use a regular tag unless:
  • The tag will be microwaved, in which case use a microwave safe tag
  • The tag will be on a drink, in which case use a drink flag tag
  • The tag will be applied on metal, in which case use a metal flag tag
• Place the RFID tag on top of a lid facing up
• Do not stack liquids
• For drinks, place the tag on the bottle top and wrap it downwards

Soft Packaging

For products with soft packaging such as a cellophane wrapper or paper wrapper:

• Use a regular tag or, if microwavable, a microwave-safe tag
• Place the RFID tag at the top edge of the product
• Merchandise products with labels face up for better reading by RFID antennae

Read further for category-specific tagging recommendations:

• Drinks
• aluminum cans and foil-lined products
• Salads or hard packaging
• Sandwiches or burritos
• Soups or yogurts
• Heatable entrees
• Snacks and soft packaging