Question: We have a pretty good EAS program in our grocery chain store, but we get pushback from store operations because our associates seem to spend an inordinate amount of time tagging goods instead of helping customers on the floor and at checkout counters.How have other retailers addressed this issue?

Answer: Balancing employee tasks can be a challenge especially at peak time. In general, best practice is to move tagging labor costs up the supply chain, where the process can be automated. Source tagging is a perfect example. It doesn't just reduce the costs of applying labels, but also frees up store associates to focus on customer-facing activities. In addition, because tags are attached to merchandise in a consistens location, ingredient information and branding aren't obscured. Customers also benefit from safer checkout times because cashiers know where to find the labels.