I saw this message posted online the other day and it was one that has been asked of us many times. The question was: “I passed through a shop's Electronic Article Surveillance and it rang without me taking an item from the store. How was it possible?”
This is an often asked question for those in the Electronic Article Surveillance (EAS) business. You walk into a store or walk out, you have no unpaid articles from the store in your possession and their anti-shoplifting alarms go off. One common cause is what the industry calls “tag pollution”: an active security tag or label from another retailer remains on or inside something a shopper is carrying or wearing.
For example, clothing can contain a source-applied security label that was not properly deactivated when it was purchased. If the original retailer's system did not detect it, the customer might never know the label is still active until entering another retailer that uses a compatible EAS frequency.
For clarity, conventional EAS tags and labels are not the same thing as continuously broadcasting tracking devices. A compatible EAS antenna creates a detection field; when an active compatible tag or label enters that field, the system can detect its response and generate an alarm.
Another cause of an unexpected alarm can be an active tag or label near the entrance, an item that was not detached or deactivated at checkout, interference or a system that needs adjustment. Store teams should follow the manufacturer's setup and testing guidance and keep active merchandise tags away from the detection zone when possible.
Tag pollution can be frustrating for both shoppers and staff. If it happens repeatedly after purchasing a particular garment or item, the retailer that sold it may be able to identify and deactivate or remove the remaining security device.
If you want to find out more about how anti-theft systems work, Chris Woodford has written an overview here: Electronic security and RFID overview.
For current INEO entrance protection products, see our Electronic Article Surveillance Systems, including RF 8.2MHz and AM 58kHz options for different retail environments.