Selfridges has become the latest retailer to test the possibilities of RFID (Radio Frequency Identification) tagging.
The department store group has launched a trial, in collaboration with logistics partner Exel, to track the movements of 120 temperature-controlled food containers in 20 vehicles supporting its Hams Hall national distribution centre in the West Midlands.
The tagged vehicles are then read at the loading bays in stores to ensure that the correct delivery has been made.
The trial follows similar explorations into RFID tagging by Tesco, Woolworths and Marks & Spencer to try to pin down useful applications for the technology in the supply chain.
Selfridges buying and merchandise director David Riddiford said: 'We hope that these trials will unlock the real value of RFID for customers, suppliers and the industry at large.'
The announcement comes after panellists at the Retail Week Implementing RFID in Retail Conference urged IT vendors to do more to make RFID trials easier for retailers.
The panel, which included representatives from Woolworths and Unilever, accepted that many retailers can only make a business case for an RFID trial is if it is part-funded by a third party.
No comments yet