Metro Group has abandoned a trial of RFID radio tags, after protests by digital rights activists.
The German retail giant has tested RFID tags at its Extra Future Store in Rheinberg, near Duisburg for nearly a year. The chips, hidden underneath price tags for cream cheese, shampoo and razor blades, were read over the air using radio waves, without physical contact and unnoticed by customers.
On Saturday Foebug, a digital rights group, demonstrated in Rheinberg against RFID tags. Only 40 protesters turned up, but they scored an immediate success. Metro is to replace 10,000 RFID-"enhanced" customer cards at the Future store.
By Jan Libbenga at The Register.
net-security.org, 1. März 2004
Original: http://www.net-security.org/news.php?id=4729