Conference spotlights global gains of retail-theft-prevention tags make global gains

Apr 1, 1998 12:00 PM, AC&SSI Staff

Source tagging - the process of inserting electronic security labels in consumer goods during manufacturing or packaging in order to prevent theft - is gaining international acceptance, according to the Source Tagging Council. The group, which includes retail executives from six countries, gathered in Boca Raton, Fla., Jan. 8-9 for the year's first meeting. Retailers shared their source tagging experiences during formal presentations and at industry-specific breakout sessions that addressed issues involving markets such as apparel, automotive, general merchandise, hardware, health and beauty care, multimedia and sporting goods. The tags, called electronic article surveillance (EAS) tags, are deactivated or removed at the time of purchase; active tags trigger an alarm, notifying authorities of attempted theft. "During the past 18 months, we've seen tremendous global expansion of source tagging," said Ben Guffey, operations vice president of loss control for Kmart Corp. and co-chairperson for the Source Tagging Council. Council meetings are planned for Mexico, Canada and Europe this year. Griffey expects the meetings to spark more source tagging programs around the world. At the meeting, the Norwegian Do-It-Yourself (DIY) Association selected acousto-magnetic technology for a national source tagging program and named Sensormatic as its professional partner. Other groups that have chosen the technology as the standard for electronic article surveillance (EAS) include: BHB, a German DIY association; British Association of Record Dealers; Federal Association of Perfume Retailers in Germany; National Association of Recording Merchandisers; Retail Music Association of Canada; and the U.K.'s Camping and Outdoor Leisure Association. Kmart Corp. hosted the meeting, which featured presentations from consumer goods manufacturers - Capo Inc. and Gillette; trade groups - National Association of Recording Merchandisers, Norwegian DIY Association and Source Tagging Institute; security consultants - Loss Prevention Specialists and Source Tagging Services; and Sensormatic Electronics Corp., which manufactures EAS tags. Source tagging is the most significant advancement this decade in retail loss prevention, says the council. The Source Tagging Council was established to provide a forum for retailers interested or actively involved in source tagging. They meet several times each year to share source tagging strategies, experiences and best practices and promote the benefits of source tagging. The group seeks to increase the effectiveness of EAS systems, facilitate the introduction of source tagging and encourage innovation.

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