How to Support the Growth of RAIN RFID Labeling in Your Operations

How to Support the Growth of RAIN RFID Labeling in Your Operations

BY: SHAWN FRAHMAN / DATE: 21/05/2026 / TOPICS: PRODUCTIE, VOEDINGSMIDDELEN EN DRANKEN, RETAIL, RFID, GS1 STANDARDS, LABEL DESIGN

Industries of all kinds are adopting RFID because it helps them track products faster, reduce manual work, and improve visibility across the supply chain. As RFID grows, RAIN RFID is becoming the most widely used type. It’s a passive, wireless technology that reads items from long distances and supports high‑volume tagging, making it ideal for modern operations.

Standards such as GS1 Electronic Product Code (EPC) and International Organization for Standardization (ISO) play a key role in ensuring RAIN RFID works smoothly across different systems and partners. They create the foundation for interoperability and help companies stay compliant as they scale RFID use.

With adoption rising, one big question remains: How can companies prepare for and carry out RAIN RFID labeling correctly and efficiently? Let's get into it.

NEED TO LEARN RFID LABELING BASICS FIRST?

The state of RFID adoption

Retail has seen one of the fastest shifts toward RFID in recent years. Stores are using item‑level RFID to improve inventory accuracy, streamline daily operations, and reduce loss and theft. As accuracy becomes more critical for eCommerce fulfillment and in‑store availability, retailers are turning to RAIN RFID to track every item more reliably.

Walmart’s RFID mandate has been a major driver of this growth. As a result, many retailers—like Target, Macy’s, Zara, Kohl’s, Decathlon, Lululemon, Adidas, Nike, Best Buy, Gap, H&M, Urban Outfitters, Nordstrom, Burberry, and others—have begun testing or expanding their RFID programs. These companies have seen the value of having real‑time item visibility, especially as omnichannel shopping becomes the norm.

RFID is also expanding across food and grocery, where accurate tracking can reduce waste and support sustainability goals. By using RAIN RFID, grocers can automate inventory checks, get real‑time insights into product freshness, and improve stock rotation. These improvements help reduce spoilage and make in‑store operations more efficient.

In manufacturing, transportation & logistics, and warehousing & distribution, RAIN RFID creates major gains in speed and accuracy. For work‑in‑process tracking, RFID automatically captures each step a product takes through assembly, testing, inspection, and packaging—no manual scanning required. In warehouses, RFID readers can identify hundreds to thousands of items in seconds, supporting automation and faster shipping. On production lines, tunnels or overhead readers can scan items as they move on conveyors, reducing manual labor and minimizing errors.

Why RFID is becoming more common: Cost & technology gains

One of the biggest reasons for the rise of RAIN RFID is the technology has become far more affordable. RFID tags are now more economical than ever, making item‑level tagging possible even for high‑volume, low‑margin products. As prices have dropped, encoding capacity and read performance have improved, giving companies better reliability at a lower cost. Passive RFID has also become far more common than active RFID because it offers lower cost, smaller tag size, and long life. Since passive RFID tags don't require a battery, they typically have a lifespan of up to 20 years.

Reader technology has also advanced. Modern RAIN RFID readers offer longer read ranges, faster processing, and stronger anti‑collision features, allowing them to identify many tags at once. These improvements make RFID easier to deploy in stores, warehouses, and production areas without major infrastructure upgrades.

The growth of GS1 EPC and ISO standards has further accelerated adoption. These global standards bring consistency to how tags are encoded and read, reducing technical barriers and helping systems work together. With broader interoperability and easier integration into existing software, companies can adopt RAIN RFID with less complexity.

The positive impact of RFID on modern supply chains

RAIN RFID continues to grow because it delivers measurable improvements across today’s fast‑moving supply chains.

Operational efficiency

• Fewer manual scans lead to lower human error
• Automated receiving, picking, and shipping reduce manual work
• Faster cycle counting gives teams a quick, accurate view of current inventory

Improved traceability and compliance

• RAIN RFID creates more transparent supply chains from source to shelf
• Helps manufacturers meet retailer mandates and regulatory requirements
• Better data accuracy supports quality control and product authentication

Better inventory accuracy = better customer experience

• Item‑level visibility improves product availability
• Accurate stock data speeds up order fulfillment
• Fewer out‑of‑stocks and mis‑ships increase customer confidence

To achieve these results and stay compliant, companies need a clear understanding of RAIN RFID labeling requirements.

Understanding RAIN RFID labeling requirements

To label products correctly with RAIN RFID, it’s important to understand what the technology includes and how the standards enable reliable performance.

What RAIN RFID means

• RAIN uses passive ultra‑high frequency (UHF) RFID technology
• It uses GS1 EPC and ISO standards, so tags and readers can work together globally
• This ensures consistent encoding, reliable reads, and interoperability across supply chains

GS1 EPC Tag Data Standard (TDS)

The GS1 EPC TDS defines how product data is structured and stored on RFID tags.

• EPC data structures: Set the format for identifiers used in retail, logistics, manufacturing, and more.
• EPC memory encoding: Specifies how to write data into the tag memory, so it can be read by any compliant reader.
• EPC Gen2v2 air interface protocol: Defines the physical and logical requirements for RAIN RFID (UHF passive) tags.
• Serialized identifiers:
  • SGTIN: Serialized Global Trade Item Number
  • SSCC: Serial Shipping Container Code
  • GRAI: Global Returnable Asset Identifier
  • GIAI: Global Individual Asset Identifier
  • ...and others used for cases, pallets, etc.

These identifiers support traceability and item‑level visibility throughout the supply chain.

ISO/IEC 18000‑63

The ISO standard, ISO/IEC 18000-63 (formerly ISO/IEC 18000-6 Type C), defines the air interface protocol foundation for RAIN RFID—commonly referred to as “Gen2” or “EPC Gen2v2.”

• Air interface protocols (Gen2): Describes how tags and readers communicate using UHF frequencies.
• Tag‑reader communication requirements: Ensure reliable reads, anti-collision performance, and consistent behavior across different hardware brands.

Together, GS1 and ISO provide the guidelines companies need to encode, print, and deploy RAIN RFID labels correctly across any industry.

Change management strategies for piloting or implementing RFID

Successful RFID adoption relies on careful planning, clear communication, and a structured approach to change. The best way to begin is with a well‑defined pilot. Companies can start by identifying the processes that offer the highest potential return on investment, then run tests in small batches before scaling. During this pilot phase, document key performance indicators (KPIs) such as read rates, throughput, and scrap rate to see how RFID is performing and where adjustments may be needed.

Involving cross‑functional teams in the process is important. IT, operations, quality assurance, and supply chain all play roles in how RFID integrates with daily work. Bring these groups together early to create shared ownership, reduce resistance to new technology, and ensure everyone understands how RFID will support broader business goals.

Training is another component of change management. Staff should be trained on:

• How RFID labels are encoded, printed, and handled
• What information needs to be captured in each RFID scan
• How to use RFID‑capable printers such as TSC, Zebra, and others
• Proper label placement (poor placement can cause weak reads, missed reads, or inconsistent performance)

To keep operations running smoothly, RFID should be integrated into existing labeling workflows rather than added as a separate process. Running parallel barcode and RFID systems can create unnecessary complexity. Instead, companies should ensure a clean handoff between their labeling software, RFID‑capable printers, and business systems.

TEKLYNX RFID and barcode label software, CODESOFT Enterprise, supports this approach by allowing users to design and encode passive UHF RFID labels.

Once the pilot is underway, it’s important to continually track metrics and use the data to refine both workflows and materials. Adjustments to label placement, printer settings, or encoding processes may be needed as teams learn more about what works in their environment. Companies should move to full‑scale deployment only after KPIs stabilize, and performance is consistent.

Why barcode + RFID label design software is a smart investment now

As more industries prepare for or expand their use of RAIN RFID, combining barcode and RFID label design into one platform has become a strategic move. Instead of managing separate systems or scrambling to add RFID later, companies can simplify their labeling operations and prepare for the future with a single platform.

Combined barcode‑and‑RFID label design software:

• Eliminates the need for separate tools or workflows. With one place to design barcodes and encode RFID labels, teams can reduce complexity, shorten training time, and streamline printing. This level of consolidation helps organizations move faster and avoid confusion and errors coming from maintaining multiple systems.
• Makes RAIN RFID compliance easier. Modern label design software includes prebuilt or template‑driven support for GS1 EPC formats such as SGTIN, SSCC, GRAI, GIAI, and SGLN. It also ensures encoding follows both GS1 EPC and ISO standards, which is essential for meeting retailer requirements and achieving reliable reads across global supply chains.
• Becomes a future‑proofing investment. Even if your operations rely only on barcodes today, many industries are actively shifting toward RFID for better visibility and automation. Software with built‑in RFID capabilities allows companies to expand into RFID labeling without ripping and replacing their existing systems.

CODESOFT Enterprise is this type of solution. It supports GS1 EPC and ISO encoding schemes and includes high-quality drivers to optimize RFID printer performance.

To see how RAIN RFID label design works in practice, watch this short TekTip:

RFID is no longer a niche technology. It's a practical, scalable, and increasingly economical tool for improving accuracy, visibility, and automation across modern supply chains. Companies preparing now will be better equipped to meet rising retailer mandates, evolving supply chain expectations, and growing demand for operational efficiency.

Investing in software that brings barcode and RFID label design together in one platform helps organizations adopt RAIN RFID more efficiently and with less disruption. With the right tools in place, organizations can meet today’s labeling needs while staying ready for tomorrow’s RFID‑driven requirements.

Get started with a free 30-day trial of CODESOFT.

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