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
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