Exploring the potential of using radio frequency identification technology in retail supply chains - A Packaging Logistics perspective

Sammanfattning: In recent years RFID technology has attracted interest from the retail industry where it is being presented as a possible key to creating more efficient and effective retail supply chains. If RFID technology is to be implemented in packaging throughout retail supply chains, there is a need to develop an understanding of how and why the technology affects activities and processes within retail supply chains. Accordingly, the overall purpose of this licentiate thesis is to explore how the application of RFID technology to packaging could affect packaging logistics activities in retail supply chains. The packaging logistics activities discussed in this licentiate thesis are those related to ambient fast-moving consumer goods, from the product-filling point at the manufacturer’s, where the product is merged with the primary packaging, to the point of sale at retail outlets, where the products are sold to the end consumer. This thesis is based on multiple research strategies; a case study and a modelling and simulation study. The case study was conducted to describe and gain an in-depth understanding of and insight into existing packaging logistics activities in retail supply chains. A Dutch retail supply chain was chosen as a single-case study. The single-case study was both data-triangulated and investigator-triangulated with three Swedish case studies to further broaden the understanding of packaging logistics activities in retail supply chains. The case study resulted in a framework of packaging logistics activities in retail supply chains. The modelling and simulation study was conducted to describe what, how and why packaging logistics activities are affected when RFID technology is applied to packaging. A conceptual model and a simulation model were developed in the modelling and simulation study. The conceptual model describes and analyses “could-be” processes and activities in retail supply chains, whereas the simulation model primarily describes and analy