Manufacturers and Retailers Embrace RFID

The results of the 2014 GS1 US Standards Usage Survey show that apparel and general merchandise manufacturers and retailers are using item level Electronic Product Code (EPC)-enabled radio frequency identification (RFID) to enhance inventory visibility and respond to consumer demands for omni-channel options. The survey found that nearly half (48.2 percent) of the manufacturers surveyed responded that they are currently implementing RFID, and another 21.1 percent planned to implement RFID within the next 12 months. Additionally, 18.4 percent planned to implement RFID over the next 13-24 months. Respondents reported that 40 percent of items made by apparel and general merchandise manufacturers have RFID tags.