This 16-page white paper explains how NFC and RFID tags can be combined with blockchain technology to create secure, end-to-end global supply chains that eliminate the risk of counterfeit goods entering the supply chain, reduce management complexity and increase transparency.

The paper begins by providing background on the issues facing supply chain managers, highlighting the increased risks that the growth of ecommerce platforms and increasingly global supplier bases pose for introducing counterfeit products into the system.

It then provides an overview of how blockchain technology works and the particular advantages it can bring to supply chain management.

‘Smarter end-to-end supply chains: Combining blockchain and NFC/RFID technologies’ then explains how NFC and RFID technology, with its ability to provide authenticated data about a product’s origin and its journey through the supply chain, can be combined with a blockchain to create “a reliable, concrete and permanent channel to collect, communicate and aggregate data from real-world objects.”

“Blockchain technology is ideal for dealing with counterfeits because of its ability to create unique identities for items,” the paper explains. “By using NFC or RFID technology, supply chains can create a robust link between the physical object and its digital life on the blockchain.

“This one-to-one link outlines absolute transparency and trust in the authenticity of goods. Thanks to blockchain and NFC technologies, consumers can have more information on the product they purchased and retailers can gain efficiency and reliability in the management of supply chain flows.”

‘Smarter end-to-end supply chains: Combining blockchain and NFC/RFID technologies’ has been produced and sponsored by STMicroelectronics and approved by the NFC World editorial team.

How to access this white paper

This 16-page white paper is available free of charge to NFC World Knowledge Centre members (PDF format, 2.5MB)

This resource is available free of charge to NFCW Knowledge Centre members. Log in or join for free to get immediate access.

Explore more...

This item is part of NFC World.