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US-based Checkpoint Systems, manufacturer and marketer of identification, tracking, security and merchandising solutions to the retail industry and its supply chain, and Sealed Air Cryovac, a global manufacturer of a wide range of food and protective packaging materials and systems, have announced the launch of an anti-theft tagging solution for food products.

The companies claim that the combination of Checkpoint’s Food-Safe EAS labels, certified for direct contact with food, and Sealed Air Cryovac’s SmartPak vacuum shrink bags can allow retailers to reduce the inventory shrinkage of cheese and fresh products. Initial studies have shown that this RF-EAS source-tagging programme may cut down inventory shrinkage of dairy products from 9% to 1%.

Checkpoint’s research and development laboratories produced the first RF-EAS Food-Safe label – the only label to-date that has received European authorisation and ISEGA certification, for direct contact with dry, moist and fatty food products. The distinctive feature of the label is its conformity with European health and safety legislation to control the direct contact with fresh and dry foodstuffs.

Initial tests were conducted on Parmigiano Reggiano in Italy for a six-month period to determine the effectiveness of Checkpoint’s label source tagged and integrated into Cryovac vacuum shrink bags. The first market request to Sealed Air Cryovac was for two million packs for the protection of Parmigiano Reggiano alone, however, it is expected that the system will be applied to other types of ‘softer’ cheeses and packaged cold meats as these products represent a significant percentage of those displayed in supermarkets’ refrigerated food cabinets and are also important in terms of sales and inventory shrinkage.

“Sealed Air Cryovac is a solutions provider offering value added products and systems to the entire food supply chain. With the RF technology provided by Checkpoint, we are able to help our customers and retailers to further improve their bottom lines by reducing the in-store theft of items such as Parmigiano Reggiano cheese. There are more opportunities with this technology in the fresh food segment,” said Mr Gerd Wichmann, Marketing Director EMEA, Cryovac Packaging.