Radio Frequency Identification or RFID chips come in many different sizes and shapes, such as cards and tags. They are already in use all around us and one of the most notable uses of RFID is that of pet chipping. These are usually tiny chips that can be embedded in almost everything and are able to identify living beings and a huge number of objects along with their properties, by transmitting the in chip stored information about them. [2]

A large number of retailers worldwide hope that RFID will replace the less-precise barcode. This is for a number of advantages, including the automation of stock tracking for cutting costs for them and for the manufacturers. [2] Despite the advantages for the retailers and the parties involved in the supply chain, the possible near future implementation of RFID chips as stock trackers raises specific privacy issues for the consumers.

This essay discusses these privacy issues with respect to the possible introduction of RFID chips as stock trackers. I will also provide a few notable examples of successes and failures in the RFID marketplace and possible solutions for mitigating privacy issues involved in stock tracking.

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