Electronic Article Surveillance (EAS) and Radio-Frequency Identification (RFID) are currently 2 technologies that are used separately to reduce theft of retail merchandise and track retail merchandise respectively.  RFID technology actually provides retailers with many operational and marketing benefits other than tracking products through the supply chain, which is why RFID has been on the rise for many years now.  EAS is an extremely simple technology used solely to protect retail merchandise from being stolen, which is why leading EAS and/or RFID companies are designing and promoting products that combine the 2 technologies.  In the not too distant future, standard EAS Security Systems and passive Security Tags and Security Labels will become obsolete.  They will become overshadowed by readers and tags that contain all of the components necessary for security, shipment tracking through the supply chain, inventory management, applying QR codes, and much more.  If they haven’t already, retailers should start searching now for companies developing products that will allow a smooth and gradual transition from current EAS and RFID platforms to a single solution.