Apr 17, 2014A pioneer in the use of radio frequency identification, Marks & Spencer (M&S) is one of the United Kingdom's leading retailers, with some 760 stores. In 2001, M&S began using RFID to track deliveries of fresh food between its suppliers and distribution centers. In 2004, the company launched a major RFID effort, deploying a solution to tag and track some men's clothing items at several locations, and eventually expanding the deployment to 550 U.K. stores and additional types of apparel. Last year, Marks and Spencer upgraded its early RFID implementation and expanded the technology's use to include home goods. The firm is rolling out the new system throughout its store operations this year, with plans to have all of the new Gen 2 readers in place—and all of its apparel and home goods RFID-tagged—by spring 2014. Learn why the company expects the technology's future potential benefits to provide greater visibility and accuracy of all stock at the item level, from leaving a supplier through the distribution chain and into stores, as well as an opportunity to reduce the costs of annual stock-taking—plus, the loss of margin associated with excessive markdowns, theft and fraud.
Speakers: Kim Phillips, Head of Packaging, Marks & Spencer; Richard Jenkins, Head of RFID Programme, Marks & Spencer