‘Accurate and effortless – RFID tech is a game-changer’

Barcodes are set to be consigned to history as shops gradually introduce the so-called Internet of Things.

Currently, the vast majority of in-store transactions see a customer or shop assistant scan an item with a barcode reader which identifies the product and tots up the bill. However, new technology being introduced across retail will

remove the need to scan purchases at all. Every item could have radio frequency identification(RFID) in the form of a tiny tag or label which emits a unique signal.

A scanner will be able to instantaneously log the entire contents of a basket or trolley.

One manufacturer of RFID checkouts at the forthcoming Retail Technology Show explained: “With our innovative system, the RFID technology instantly identifies each product, ensuring accurate and efficient transactions. No more tedious scanning or manual inputting of barcodes – just effortless shopping at your fingertips. It’s not just a convenience – it’s a game-changer.”

RFID also makes it easier to detect thefts and can speed up stock-taking as shelves or even whole warehouses can be scanned and inventorised in seconds.

RFID is part of what is known as the Internet of Things (IoT) – a network of physical devices, vehicles and appliances embedded with sensors, software and network connectivity, allowing them to collect and share data. Sports store Decathlon has introduced RFID. Shoppers in some stores in Scotland can now place items one by one into a basket at the checkout – where they are automatically scanned.

But in France, one store has removed checkouts entirely.

Customers simply walk past an RFID reader, stop to confirm their basket total then pay on their phone.