NRF review – AI increasingly impacting retail

Amid all the investment going into AI there is also continued commitment by retailers to the comparatively low-tech RFID. Dean Frew, president of RFID solutions at SML, says: “We’re the boring plumbing that’s beneath AI. We’re part of the AI eco-system.”

Appetite for item-level visibility

Indicative of the growing appetite of retailers to have item-level visibility within their businesses, Frew says Walmart is now RFID tagging 100% of its products in numerous categories. However, currently he says only 15% of retailers use RFID technology. But he says this will change rapidly and he forecasts that within five years only 15% will not be using it. “Apparel and footwear have gone first and beauty will be next and then electronics. These are exciting times as the retail industry goes through a period of transformation.”

RFID usage has moved beyond simply being a way to see stock in an organisation to also helping retailers with their returns, click & collect, reducing shrinkage and other aspects that boost the customer experience in-store.

RFID is undoubtedly able to play an important role in the circular economy. It was noticeable that as AI took centre stage at NRF 2025 there was, in contrast, very little reference to the environment and sustainability compared with previous years.

Read the full article on The Retail Bulletin.