Loss prevention used to be a store security matter; now it arrives as a line in the packaging brief. A buyer asks for an EAS label placed inside every carton, or a pilot programme wants RFID inlays applied and encoded before shipment. The printing itself is routine. The planning around it – position, board type, timing of application – is where projects succeed or stall.
What is the difference between EAS and RFID? EAS is a security technology: a tag that triggers an alarm at the store door if it has not been deactivated at the till. RFID is an identification technology: an inlay that carries data a reader can scan without line of sight, used for stock counts, track-and-trace and authentication. The two are often combined in one label, but they solve different problems, and a brief that names the wrong one wastes a sampling round.
Where do the tags go inside a carton? Common positions are between the liner and the board, under the bottom panel, inside a sleeve, or bonded to the reverse of a label. The position has to keep the inlay clear of dense board edges and away from the folding creases that crush it. Deactivation and reading angles also matter at the till, so the position is usually agreed between the retailer’s loss prevention team and the packaging trial before the die is finalised.
Does metal board or foil stamping interfere? Metallised surfaces detune both technologies: metal-backed inlays need specially designed hard tags, and foil stamping placed directly over a tag can pull the read range down. If the design uses foil or a metallised liner, say so early – the inlay choice changes, and the trial has to include the finished board, not a stand-in sheet.
Can tags be applied during production? Yes, by applicator heads on the folding-gluing line for labels, or by hand for lower volumes. Encoding is a separate step: each RFID inlay needs a unique identifier written to it, usually tied to your serialised data. The data format, the allocation of ranges and the read points along the line get agreed before the run, because reworking encoded tags after gluing is slow.
What does a retail pilot usually demand from the supplier? A defined read or detection rate on the finished pack, a consistent tag position within tolerance, and sample packs for the retailer’s own verification before mass production. Some programmes ask for the tag application to be verified at goods-outward. Anti-counterfeit printing is a different layer of protection and the anti-counterfeit FAQ for labels and inks covers it, but the two often end up on the same pack.
What does adding tags cost and how long does it take? The tag itself is priced per piece on top of the carton, and the cost depends on the inlay type and volume far more than on the box. Application adds a set-up per run. Lead time follows the inlay supply chain, which for RFID can be the pacing item on a first order – the box board is quick, the tagged insert may not be. Ask for both quoted separately so the comparison with untagged packaging stays visible.
What should I send when asking for a quote? The dieline, the tag type and supplier if already chosen, the required position, the annual quantity, and the reader environment – which door system, which RFID standard. Tag placement on a sleeve or hanger has its own constraints, and the glossary of packaging terms collects that vocabulary. Tamper evidence is sometimes bundled into the same label; the guide to tamper-evident box structures explains those options.
If a loss prevention requirement has arrived in your brief and the tag is still an open question, send the carton drawing and the store environment it has to work in. We will tell you what can be applied in-line at our Wuhan plant and what the inlay options look like. Start on the quote request page.
Chengtop prints retail packaging cartons and printed retail labels and hang tags at our Wuhan plant, and tag requirements come up regularly on export orders. Message us with the tag type named in your brief and we will respond with the practical options.
