It is inevitable, RFID will dominate the supply chain versus traditional technology such as bar codes, according to Supply Chain Digest, the only question is when.

In most applications, RFID simply has a number of advantages over bar codes, such as the auto versus manual read/scan, no line of sight requirements, and ability to put more data on the tag.

Increased regulatory requirements, especially relative to food and pharmaceuticals, will play a role in the mandated use of RFID for to support safety and product integrity goals - especially as safety or other related issues emerge, to be able to track lineage, chain of custody and inventory status at higher levels than most can do today.