Retail shrink is often framed as a store operations problem, yet many of the most effective solutions start on the packaging line.
The right combination of tamper-evident packaging, clear opening cues, and discreet identification technology can deter theft, reveal interference and still keep products easy to open and simple to recycle.
Go deeper with GlobalData
Discover B2B Marketing That Performs
Combine business intelligence and editorial excellence to reach engaged professionals across 36 leading media platforms.
For packaging teams, the goal is practical: deliver loss prevention by design—from the first seal to the final scan—without compromising consumer safety, accessibility or sustainability.
Design out easy opportunities
Most theft or in-store product interference exploits weak points in format and opening design. Fixing those weak points usually costs less, weighs less and frustrates shoppers far less than heavy hard cases.
Engineer the opening moment
Use frangible features that fail cleanly and visibly. Break-away closure rings, tamper bands on lidding, perforated bridges on cartons and void-release labels create tamper evidence that anyone can read at a glance.
Pair security with ergonomics: generous pull tabs, low tear forces, textured grips and clear arrows reduce the urge to “pre-open” packs in the aisle and cut complaints at home.
US Tariffs are shifting - will you react or anticipate?
Don’t let policy changes catch you off guard. Stay proactive with real-time data and expert analysis.
By GlobalDataThe best tamper-evident packaging is obvious to the eye and friendly to the hand.
Match protection to risk
Not every SKU merits the same defence. Reserve higher-security measures for products with a persistent shrink problem—razors, cosmetics, small electronics, OTC medicines and fragrances.
For lower-risk lines, modest tweaks pay back: stronger hanger holes to prevent “hook and run”, internal ribs in blisters that slow covert access, and paperboard wallets with hidden tear paths that reveal interference without adding bulk.
In seasonal or hotspot stores, design sleeves or toppers that can carry EAS labels or warnings for short periods, then remove cleanly.
Make evidence unmissable
Tamper cues fail if staff and customers don’t notice them.
Use high-contrast graphics, plain language (“Do not use if ring is broken”), and colour-change varnishes that highlight stress or stretching.
For beverages and sauces, induction-seal liners under caps, tear-evident overcaps, and clip-on collars that split on first twist combine food safety with clear signals. In chilled aisles, specify materials that resist condensation so seals stay legible.
Keep sustainability in scope
Security should not undermine recyclability.
Choose mono-material blisters (e.g., PET with a separable paperboard card), alkali wash-off label adhesives on PET bottles, floatable sleeves with perforations, and detectable black pigments rather than carbon black so items pass NIR sorting.
Shorten tear paths and right-size outers to trim weight, freight and emissions while keeping tamper evidence strong.
Build reliable identification: serialisation, EAS and RFID
Loss prevention now extends beyond the shelf. Item-level identification improves inventory accuracy, speeds audits, validates returns and supports anti-counterfeit checks—vital for higher-value goods and sensitive categories.
Design codes that always scan
Place barcodes or Data Matrix codes on flat, accessible faces away from perforations, bands and closures.
Maintain high contrast, avoid glossy varnishes that flare under scanners, and size codes to read at self-checkout. For curved surfaces, use ladder orientation and sufficient quiet zones.
If you add security devices, keep them clear of the code window.
Serialisation for authenticity and returns
Unique identifiers (serialised QR or Data Matrix) enable returns authentication, recall precision and consumer verification.
Print them where customers expect to find them, and protect with a light overprint varnish that doesn’t glare.
For e-commerce, consider a second, hidden code inside the pack so the identifier survives shipping labels and tape during reverse logistics.
EAS labels: discreet deterrence
Thin EAS inlays embedded under a label, within a board laminate or behind a brand device deter casual theft without spoiling shelf appeal.
Place consistently across SKUs so store teams know where to de-tag.
Document the position on the spec to avoid accidental placement over barcodes or near perforations that may tear.
RFID when data must do more
RFID supports item-level counts, faster inventories and fewer out-of-stocks. It also enables exception-based loss analytics and gated zone alerts.
Where budgets are tight, deploy RFID selectively: by category, by store risk profile, or for peak seasons.
In multi-material packs, verify read rates after filling; liquid contents, foils and dense pigments can affect performance.
Security inks and covert features
Layer visible tamper cues with covert authentication: microtext, UV-responsive fibres, taggants in varnish, or forensic markers.
Keep at least one feature verifiable in-store with simple tools (UV torch, magnifier) and another reserved for lab checks.
Layering raises the effort required to counterfeit while keeping everyday verification practical.
Make safety and accessibility part of the brief
A pack that is theft-resistant but hard to open or unsafe is not a success. Consumer safety, inclusive design and end-of-life must travel alongside loss prevention.
Child-resistant, not adult-resistant
Use certified child-resistant (CR) designs—push-turn, squeeze-turn or peel-push blisters—paired with larger grips, tactile arrows and concise pictograms for older adults and those with limited dexterity.
Where possible, provide a non-CR format for non-hazardous variants to avoid over-specifying.
Test with real users; small changes in tab size or torque can transform usability without weakening security.
Ink, adhesive and seal integrity
Choose low-migration inks and verify curing (UV dose or drying energy) to avoid off-odour and under-cure that can weaken seals.
For tamper bands and void labels, specify adhesives that resist casual peeling in store but release cleanly in hot-wash recycling.
Log sealing parameters—jaw temperature, dwell time and pressure—on the spec; consistent seals make tamper evidence credible and reduce false rejects.
Design for returns and inspection
Returns are part of retail reality. Reseal features on cartons and secondary packs allow inspection without destroying the structure.
Place serialised codes both outside and inside so identifiers persist after transport labels are removed.
For high-value goods, an inner tear-evident seal deters wardrobing (use-and-return fraud) while preserving legitimate returns.
Material choices for a second life
Security layers need not block recycling. On PET bottles, prefer alkali wash-off PSAs and sleeves that float; on fibre packs, keep plastic laminations minimal and use water-dispersible barriers where moisture resistance is needed.
For blisters, move toward mono-PET or rPET where regulation allows, or design foil/film combinations that separate in established routes.
Document choices against recognised design-for-recycling guidelines so converters and recyclers work from the same playbook.
Measure outcomes, not intentions
Treat packaging changes as controlled experiments. Track shrink by SKU and store, scan failure rates, customer opening complaints, seal failures, and recycling quality feedback.
Share results with retail partners and adjust—shorter tear paths, moved code positions, or a second reveal point can outperform heavier, costlier solutions.
The takeaway for operators
Loss prevention is not a choice between security, usability and sustainability.
When packaging teams design tamper evidence that’s obvious, place codes that always scan, deploy EAS or RFID where they add value, and keep recyclability in view, shrink falls and consumer trust rises.
Start with risk-based design, layer visible and covert signals, verify performance on real lines and lanes, and keep measuring. From seal to scan, packaging becomes an active, elegant tool for safer retail.
