Top quality

Today’s consumers are discerning, well informed and confident. Consumer behavior is determined by prices, store atmosphere, convenience and store image depending on the consumer’s individual situation and state of mind. Companies need to be prepared for varied needs and need to guarantee high levels of customer care and product quality, and RFID helps in this.

The Swiss jeweler De Grisogono has introduced RFID in its outlets for monitoring its inventory and protection against theft. The transponders attached to the jewelry measure just 13 x 13 millimeters. Each object has a picture and description in the database. When the rings, bracelets and luxury watches are put back into the safe at the end of the day, the reader automatically checks whether all items are present. The technology has already been implemented in De Grisogono outlets in Geneva and Paris among others. There are now plans for a worldwide rollout.

According to EU regulations, only hard cheese made with cow’s milk from the north of Italy can carry the famous Parmigiano-Reggiano name. But high quality has its price: a wheel of the famous Parmesan can cost up to 300 euros. That prompts people to bring counterfeit goods onto the market. But a union of Northern Italian cheese producers is winning the battle against the fraudulent competition. They have embedded RFID transponders in the rind of the "Virgilio" Parmiggiano-Reggiano. This allows vendors to view data like producer, production date, quality and price. A 2003 pilot project demonstrated that the RFID scheme can work to great effect.