Why Every Retail Store Needs Security Tags, Labels and Pins: A Complete Guide

Insights · Store Security

An EAS antenna is only as good as the tag on the product. This guide covers every type of security tag, label, and pin — what each one does, where it works best, and how to pick the right combination for your stock.

Security Tags: The Basics

Security tags are the physical link between your merchandise and your EAS antennas at the door. Without a tag or label on the product, the antenna has nothing to detect. Choosing the right tag for each product type is critical — the wrong tag won’t trigger reliably, will fall off, or will damage the product.

Hard Tags: Maximum Protection

Hard tags are reusable plastic-and-metal devices attached to merchandise with a pin or lanyard. They can only be removed with a special detacher at the till, and they trigger the EAS alarm reliably until detached.

Best for:

  • Clothing and apparel
  • Footwear
  • Bags and luggage
  • Hardware and tools
  • High-value electronics

Soft Labels: Low-Cost, High-Volume

Soft labels are adhesive stickers containing an EAS circuit. They’re applied at source or in-store, deactivated at the till with a deactivation pad, and discarded by the customer. Cheap enough to be single-use.

Best for:

  • Supermarket groceries
  • Cosmetics and personal care
  • Pharmacy products
  • Books and magazines
  • Bottled drinks

Specialist Tags for Special Products

Bottle Tags

Wine and spirits need a tag that wraps the bottle neck without damaging the seal. SLP’s bottle tags are designed to grip securely while still being quick to remove at the till.

Spider Wraps

Spider wraps are alarmed cable enclosures that protect boxed high-value items — electronics, games, perfume gift sets. They trigger the EAS alarm if the box is opened without a detacher.

Security Pins

Lanyard pins attach hard tags to garments through fabric or labelling. SLP supplies standard security pins and specialised pins for delicate fabrics, knitwear, and leather goods.

Metal Detection / Foil Bags

For products in foil packaging (which blocks normal EAS signals), SLP supplies foil bags and metal-detectable labels that work with both AM and RF systems.

Choosing the Right Tag for Your Stock

Most retailers use a mix. Clothing gets hard tags, groceries get soft labels, boxed electronics get spider wraps, and high-value bottles get bottle tags. The mix depends on your product range, your margins, and your checkout speed requirements.

SLP can audit your product range and recommend the right tag combination — typically delivered as part of a complete EAS installation.

Need the right tags for your stock?

Browse the full SLP security tags, labels, and pins range.

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