Checkpoint Systems, a global leader in RF and RFID technology solutions, is set to showcase new innovative loss prevention solutions at Euroshop 2023 in Dusseldorf, Germany from Feb 26-March 2, 2023.
Among the new products set to be unveiled, Checkpoint’s new NEO™ NS45 RF Electronic Article Surveillance (EAS) antenna will be available on the stand for attendees to test and try for the first time, as well as the recently launched SFERO ™ among other flagship products. Replicating a retail store environment on the stand, Checkpoint will host a series of live technology demonstrations, illustrating how its technology can benefit retailers. Featured in Hall 6, booth E23, it will demonstrate market-leading, RFID loss prevention solutions that provide retailers with the tools to tackle the challenges of product theft.
NEO™ NS45 – An industry first EAS solution
At EuroShop, Checkpoint is also excited to announce it will unveil its newest high-performance RF Electronic Article Surveillance (EAS) system, the patent pending NEO™ NS45 antenna – the first of its kind to offer retailers an almost invisible loss-prevention solution at the checkout.
Following the successful release of the now award-winning NS40/42 antenna, the NEO™ NS45 is the latest EAS solution added to the NEO family, providing extremely high detection rates within the most modest and adaptable model so far. Designed with seamless integrability in mind, the antenna device is not fixed to the floor but incorporated directly onto checkout desks, meaning it can be added to any store infrastructure and layout. Its discreet yet deterrent solution allows faster action to be taken in the event of theft and increases the responsiveness of security personnel.
Key features of the NEO™ NS45 range are:
- Discrete and integrable design
- No interference between the consumer and the merchandise
- Easy to reconfigure and adapt to changing layouts
- Wireless connectivity between systems
- 360 detection coverage technology
SFERO ™ High-performing RFID as EAS
In October 2022, Checkpoint Systems announced the expansion of its RFID loss prevention portfolio with the launch of SFERO ™, its fully customizable, modular RFID loss prevention system with high detection performance to minimize losses and protect stores in ways never before possible, until now.
With a possible detection capability greater than 95% accuracy, SFERO ™ covers up to 10m across your store entrance and 3.5m overhead, without disruption. Featuring next-generation security antenna design and overhead sensors, which can be ceiling mounted, pedestal only or in other configurations to provide a more visual deterrent.
Representing a seismic shift in RFID as EAS technology, SFERO ™ enables retailers to accommodate different store layouts and design. Checkpoint Systems’ next generation of RFID loss prevention systems combine intelligent pedestals and overhead antennas to create a sphere of protection around your store that can be increased or decreased at any time. It also enables retailers to move away from out-of-the-box, one-size-fits-all systems by providing a loss prevention solution that is tailored to their individual store needs. Working with their retailer partners, Checkpoint assists them to determine and select the appropriate level of protection for each store, providing a dynamic loss protection solution for their retail portfolio as required.
SFERO ™, the latest cutting-edge RFID solution has been developed to seamlessly integrate with customer visual merchandising. It ensures retailers can maintain excellent levels of security while preserving an open, clean point of entry.
Waste Less, Sell More with RFreshID™
Food waste figures make for shocking reading – in the EU alone, it is estimated that nearly 57 million tonnes of food waste are generated annually with an associated market value estimated at 130 billion euros.
Food waste is also having a negative effect on revenues. Even before the current turmoil hit, estimates were that waste represented a 4% revenue loss for supermarkets, and discounting to sell items before their use-by date only helped retailers to recoup less than 1% of that loss.
Supermarkets are also under mounting pressure by consumers to reduce food waste levels. Typically, retailers have relied on time-intensive, visual inspections to detect the sell-by dates on perishable products and manage replenishment needs, with less than half using an automated system to control inventory levels, but not expiry dates.
Checkpoint Systems is helping to tackle this issue through RFreshID™ . This innovative fresh food solution uses RFID technology to help stores manage and rotate their stock efficiently by improving inventory visibility and accurately identifying produce with near or exceeded sell-by dates. Recognised by the ECR Retail Loss Group as one of the top 30 most highly rated food waste innovations, RFreshID™ enables stock that is approaching its expiry date to be more easily identified, rotated and promoted.
RFID-enabled labels are applied to products at source, which allows products to be tracked throughout the supply chain; all RFreshID labels are certified safe for direct contact with food and microwave use. The labels also enable product consignments to be checked before shipping with a packing list generated for each destination store.
Once delivered both back-of-house and shop floor cycle counts using RFreshID™ offer up to 99% inventory accuracy and can reduce labour time by up to 78% compared to manual counting by staff. At the same time the system offers retailers the tools and insights to keep close watch on inventory at any time, meaning they can better understand when to re-order and/or mark down products. This accurate inventory insight helps maintain better availability of fresh and chilled products and Checkpoint customers report a reduction in food waste of some 60% using RFreshID™.
Bottle Digitalisation with BottleID™
A major issue for retailers is the theft and sale of their products on the Grey Market – whereby legally branded merchandise is resold through unauthorised channels. This is particularly prevalent in the wines and spirits market.
Industry estimates cite that approximately one in four bottles of wine, Champagne and spirits globally are sold through unregulated channels, equating to some $19bn worth of sales. It is also a major issue for brands and retailers in other luxury goods markets where the size of the grey market can exceed that of official, authorised retailers.
Using RFID to tackle the beverage grey market
BottleID™, Checkpoint Systems’ bottle digitalisation solution, uses RFID technology to protect your brand and have full traceability of individual products from the moment they’re bottled through to purchase. Deploying BottleID™ with RFID allows interaction with the product from a distance without visual contact with it, enabling high-speed operations such as an automatic register of production, shipment register at item level and many others – stored, processed, and analysed in near real-time.
Historically, the impact of liquids on RFID performance (liquid contents affect the radio waves) provided a tricky barrier for RFID’s entry into the beverage market, making its integration into the production line more complex. But this is no longer the case. Checkpoint Systems’ digital labels, developed specifically for the wine and spirits markets, now offer complete product visibility from its place of origin, such as the vineyard, to on-shelf. By assigning unique identifiers associated to Declaration of Origin (DO) serial numbers, retailers can achieve increased inventory management efficiency and accuracy, freeing up space for employees to focus on other important aspects of the retail experience. It is estimated that tracking and tracing each SKU at every stage of its supply chain journey offers greater stock level accuracy with every 3% increase in inventory accuracy, resulting in a 1% sales improvement.
Most important, RFID allows producers and retailers to track products through their legitimate supply chain, simultaneously enabling those products to be authenticated and marked with their official, intended destination. At the same time, brands being sold via non-authorised markets or regions, can be identified and their supply journey traced, allowing brand owners to take action to close those supply lines.
This item-level visibility also works with Declaration of Origin (DO) serial numbers and labels. RFID tags can be integrated behind the generic back label or as part of the DO label with its serial number before the labels arrive at the production site. RFID readers are incorporated into the production line and then capture this product and shipment information at each stage of the supply chain journey. In the future, the information stored on RFID labels might be available directly to shoppers, further helping to differentiate brands with integrity, strong brand values and authentic stories in the minds of consumers.
Reimagining RFID Inventory Management with ItemOptix™
At the start of 2022, Deloitte’s Beyond Retail report pointed to not one, but several evolving trends that all retailers need to heed to remain in the game: The rise of the now grown-up and ready-to-spend Gen Zs, conscious consumerism and virtuous circles putting greater emphasis on provenance and traceability, more brand collaborations and greater demand for ‘friction-free’ shopping. And another Deloitte report highlights how it will be digital technologies that help supply chains to cope with the challenges the fast-moving pace of retail will throw at them.
The Deloitte report cites how global supply chains are under intense pressure to rapidly transform in an increasingly complex and uncertain world and how an agile response should be based on operators having the right information, in the right format, and at the right time to make faster and smarter decisions.
Showcasing its new next-generation inventory management SaaS platform, ItemOptix™ for Retail, Checkpoint is demonstrating how it is reimagining RFID Inventory Management that is easy to use, easy to deploy and easy to adapt.
Centred around an intuitive ItemOptix™ Mobile App, staff can easily count, restock, and search for items. Furthermore, by being an SaaS-based product, ItemOptix™ does not require additional IT infrastructure to be added to a retailer’s estate as it can seamlessly integrate into in-house reporting suites, thereby improving the efficiency of operations. Using RFID software is proven to give up to a 4% sales uplift, up to 99% inventory accuracy, up to 90% out-of-stocks reduction and up to a 75% reduction in audit costs because with item-level inventory accuracy, every single unit in the supply chain can contribute to the bottom line.
Another first with RFMetal™ Label
Also on display will be Checkpoint’s revolutionary RFMetal™ Label, one of the world’s first commercially available RF label for metal products and metallic packaging. It can be applied directly to metal products and metallic packaging and using the label enables retailers to protect these products with the same EAS systems as they currently deploy for the rest of their inventory. RFMetal™ Label has been proven to dramatically reduce shrinkage, financial losses and stock shortages. During testing of RFMetal™ Label with selected customers across a number of verticals, markets and geographies, a consistent 50% shrink reduction was seen in previously unprotected items.
Apparel Labelling Solutions (ALS)
Incorporating intelligent labels into a retailer’s product portfolio has never been easier using Checkpoint’s labelling solutions, which provide a single source for a company’ branding, RFID intelligent labelling and identification needs. With a global network of printshops supplying labels direct to garment manufacturers, products can start their journey ready to provide detailed, smart information straight away, giving full visibility throughout the supply chain.
A full package solution
As the only vertically integrated RF/RFiD solution provider for retailers, Checkpoint Systems is a global leader in EAS and radio frequency identification (RF and RFID) technology solutions.
Working with its retail partners worldwide, it enables them to achieve better inventory accuracy using real-time intuitive data. This assists them to speed up inventory replenishment cycles, prevent mismatched and reduce theft.
To book a meeting with one of Checkpoint Systems’ product experts during the event, please contact wendy.turkington@checkpt.com or call 01635 567070
For more information about all the loss prevention solutions available from Checkpoint Systems visit https://checkpointsystems.com/uk/products
