Metro Group completes RFID rollout

Metro Group in late October completed deployment of the radio frequency identification (RFID) technology in Germany. At 180 locations operated by the sales brands Metro Cash & Carry and Real as well as the central warehouses of Metro Group Logistics (MGL), deliveries can now be recorded automatically. The remaining locations are scheduled for conversion next year. This is the largest operational rollout of this technology in the European retail sector. 

With RFID tags on each shipping pallet, deliveries can be checked for completeness within seconds. RFID readers at the goods-in gates can automatically recognize and identify incoming pallets. With software, the system checks whether the deliveries match the order prior to registering them in the inventory management system. Also deliveries from the warehouses to the stores of the Metro Group are monitored with RFID. The improved processes help prevent incorrect deliveries and increase the accuracy of the inventory information. 

Metro Group and its partners under the Future Store Initiative offer support to all interested parties. Three tailor-made “starter kits“ facilitate the start into the future of retailing for suppliers. Also at the international level, Metro Group is extending the deployment of the radio frequency technology. Starting from late 2007, approximately 100 suppliers from China and Vietnam will participate in the RFID pilot project “Tag it Easy“ and tag their export packages with RFID transponders. This way, distinct efficiency gains can also be achieved in the supply chain between Asia and Europe.