Tesco has extended its trial of radio frequency
identification (RFID) tags, implementing the electronic tracking
technology in its non-food distribution centre in Milton
Keynes.The supermarket chain, which this week
announced a 17% rise in group sales for the 24 weeks to 9 August,
is one of the major supporters of RFID in the UK.
The latest rollout follows earlier item-level
trials on razor blades and DVDs in stores in Cambridge, Sandhurst
and Leicester.
The RFID tags, supplied by Alien Technology,
will be attached on transportation cases to improve tracking
between the Milton Keynes warehouse and stores at Peterborough and
St Neots, Tesco said.
Colin Cobain, IT director at Tesco, said trial
will give store managers a better idea of where products are, from
when they leave the warehouse until they arrive at the store. “It
will also help us improve product availability for customers and
make life easier for our staff,” he added.
RFID is becoming increasingly popular among UK
retailers, with high-profile trials at companies such as
Woolworths, Marks & Spencer and Asda.
While the technology promises to cut inventory
costs, boost efficiency and reduce theft, it has raised controversy
in recent weeks with consumer groups, such as Liberty, which have
claimed it could infringe customers’ privacy by tracking their
every move.
Analysts recently urged UK retailers to act over these privacy
concerns or risk consumer opposition stifling RFID’s growth.