FRAMINGHAM, Mass. -- Gerry Weber, a leading fashion and lifestyle company with 338 HOUSES OF GERRY WEBER stores and 1,400 shop-in-shop areas throughout the world, will become the first German retail company to roll out RFID technology combining inventory management and loss prevention. Gerry Weber will be using an Avery Dennison RFID solution in over 25 million garments a year through an RFID chip imbedded in a care label. This solution will optimize Gerry Weber logistics and retail processes, reduce theft and ensure stores are well stocked with popular items.

"The decision for the RFID roll out is a true milestone for our company," says GERRY WEBER International AG Chairman Gerhard Weber. "We invite all textile apparel suppliers to embrace the introduction of RFID to achieve significant cost savings, improved efficiency and greater transparency in retail."

The Avery Dennison RFID fabric care labels will be applied in the manufacturing process, eliminating the need for retail staff to fit and remove conventional bulky security tags in-store which can be time-consuming and costly. The Avery Dennison RFID label is automatically deactivated after the customer has paid for the goods at the checkout.

"We are excited to partner with Gerry Weber as they lead the German market in adoption of this intelligent solution," commented Graham Diamond, vice president and general manager, Avery Dennison EMEA. "RFID technology is emerging rapidly around the world due to the significant benefits it provides retailers in helping them improve sales, profits and customer service."

RFID allows for data capture without the need for line of sight or physical contact, so the Avery Dennison solution will enable Gerry Weber Group to significantly improve its inventory management and logistics processes, bringing faster and more accurate goods receipt, improved control and visibility of stock and simplified stock taking.

Logistics director at Gerry Weber, Dr. David Frink, says: "This technology allows us to achieve high stock accuracy and thereby an improved goods supply at the retail store. Time-consuming counting operations, for example for inventories, will no longer be necessary."

The RFID inlay, also from Avery Dennison, is incorporated in a care label and is washable up to 140° F (60° C) and can be dry cleaned. This makes it possible to trace garments from production to point of sale, even if they are washed or dry cleaned in the process.

Tests of the new RFID system in Gerry Weber stores have been extremely successful and Gerry Weber will roll out the solution to more than 150 of its own branches next year.

Avery Dennison is the RFID leader for the apparel industry. Today, more than 90 per cent of all RFID labels used in the textile industry are supplied by Avery Dennison.