White Paper: Automatic Product Identification & Shrinkage: Scoping the Potential (2002)

The purpose of this paper is to explore the possibilities offered by recent developments within the sphere of product Auto Identification (Auto ID) technologies to impact upon the problem of shrinkage in the retail sector and their suppliers (both manufacturers and third-party logistics providers). Its purpose is not to provide specific strategies for its implementation, but to consider the potential to impact upon shrinkage in the short, medium and long term. In this respect, this document aims to generate discussion, debate and above all, raise questions about how this rapidly developing technology might be used, rather than to be overtly prescriptive in suggesting how it should be used. The research was commissioned by Efficient Consumer Response Europe (ECR) and uses as its base a series of in-depth discussions with European retailers and manufacturers, technology providers and developers, standards agencies and academics. In particular, a oneday workshop was organised in February 2002, in Brussels, when invited delegates were offered the opportunity to discuss in detail the prospects, problems and potential of Auto ID. The author is extremely grateful to all those who contributed their time, expertise and knowledge to assist in this research. In particular, the staff at the Auto ID Centre in Boston (US) and Cambridge (UK), and the members of the ECR Europe Shrinkage committee.

Download White Paper: Automatic Product Identification & Shrinkage: Scoping the Potential (2002)