RFID helps alert consumers to potential danger

Almost any item we rely on in our daily lives can be dangerous if it is manufactured incorrectly. Consider the car tyres, children’s toys and tins of tuna that have been recalled by manufacturers in recent years.

With RFID, it will be easier to recall dangerous items and remove them from shop shelves and homes. Right now, when items are recalled, the producer notifies the wholesaler, who notifies the retailer. But who informs the consumer?

Consumers have to rely on information in newspapers, on television and on the Internet to find out if they are the owners of dangerous items. Wouldn’t it be simpler, easier and faster if your shopping outlet sent you an e-mail saying you should exchange your child’s action figure or dispose of a tin of fish?

This kind of service will be available with item-level RFID tagging and Electronic Product Codes (EPC). EPC’s unique identification numbers can be linked to an owner’s information in a database. If a computer battery is at risk of overheating or brakes are known to fail, you can be alerted directly and immediately.

In addition, RFID will force companies to produce more responsibly, since it can be used to trace problems back to their original sources. If parts of an infant’s mobile can fall off and become a choking hazard, the shop selling the mobile can identify the source of the parts and rectify the problem.