JD Sports completes rollout of Concept Tag to all European stores

Retailer to install ‘Concept Tag’ garment tag system after seeing expected reduction in garment theft in extended trial

 

Sports retailer JD Sports has authorised the installation of electronic article surveillance (EAS) tag ‘The Concept Tag’ to over 200 stores after seeing a reduction of tagged garment theft of up to 75% in stores in the UK, France and the Netherlands.

The move will see the entirety of JD Sports’ fascia stores across Europe fitted with the anti-theft technology and will be completed in time for the key Christmas trading period.

The rollout comes four years after JD Sports partnered with EAS equipment manufacturer Agon Systems to test and develop the Concept Tag.

Alongside the UK rollout, JD Sports is also installing the Concept Tag system in its newly acquired set of stores in Australia.

It is calculated that a rollout of this innovation across a typical retailer’s estate, with an average 1.3% stock loss, would add a 4 to 5 percent increase in pre-tax profits.

Tim Edwards, Group Profit Protection Director of JD Sports Fashion PLC: “After working closely with Agon on the development of the Concept Tag, combined with the remarkable loss prevention statistics across the all European JD Sports stores, it was an easy decision to recommend rolling this out to more stores within the JD estate.”

“With Christmas a time that traditionally sees increased levels of retail crime, we are confident that getting the system in place by then will have a strong effect on our retail loss prevention efforts across the holiday period.”

Sean Welch, Managing Director of Agon Systems: “We are delighted that JD Sports has made the decision to push the Concept Tag out to such a large number of stores across Europe.”

“It is a testament to the effectiveness of the system and is more proof that it’s a sure-fire way to dramatically improve a retailer’s bottom line.”

Find out more about the Concept Tag.

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For any further information or for interview requests please contact:

Tom Ruzyllo at Tomango on 01273 814019 or email tom@tomango.co.uk.

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NOTES TO EDITORS

The extended trial in JD Sports’ sites in London’s Oxford Street, Manchester’s Trafford and Arndale Centre, Birmingham’s Bull Ring, as well as Glasgow, Stratford, Newcastle, Amsterdam, Nice, Marseille and Lyon saw tagged garment theft reduced by 50 to 75%.

Agon Systems is a manufacturer of Electronic Article Surveillance (EAS) equipment based near Biel, in Switzerland. Over the last 20 years Agon Systems has produced more than 200,000 high quality EAS antenna, which have been installed in some of the highest profile retail locations around the globe.

The Concept Tag was awarded ‘Best Newcomer’ at the 2016 Retail Fraud Awards, with Agon Systems being shortlisted in the ‘Exporter of the Year’ category at the 2017 UK Small Business Awards after shipping 15 million tags to 20 countries in the last two years.

The Concept Tag is a revolutionary EAS tagging device created by Agon Systems that has been proven to reduce illicit tag removal and deter criminals.

Years of development produced a unique locking mechanism within the Concept Tag that is practically impossible to remove the tag by force.

Tests have shown it would need over 50 kilograms of pressure applied to force the tag off of a garment – meaning it would likely cause damage to the garment or shoplifter if attempted.

The system can work with both RF and AM technology, meaning it can be installed on top of existing in-store security systems.