How NFC technology can support your sustainability initiatives

Sustainability has become over the years a shared concern and commitment. Small, medium-size, and large companies are looking for ways to incorporate sustainable practices into their corporate strategies and product developments.

Available in most smartphones, NFC technology is a convenient radio link that connects products to the digital world. This technology relies on one single battery-less electronic component: a chip. And, most importantly, NFC enables a wide range of sustainable initiatives.

What is NFC technology and how does it work?
What are the benefits?
How to implement NFC technology into your brand's sustainability initiatives
Bringing value all along the way
Exploring NFC use cases towards sustainability

What is NFC technology and how does it work?

NFC (Near Field Communication) is a technology enabling contactless communication between a tag and a reader.

NFC tag and reader

Battery-free, an NFC tag (chip) adds connectivity to any physical object. Readers can be found in smartphones or NFC-enabled devices. They transfer the data using an energy harvesting technique, via the magnetic field.

What are the benefits?

With this Tap & Go approach, brands can now provide consumers with a quick and convenient way to access information. Packaging and labels cannot include as much information as wanted. By embedding NFC tags into products, consumers gain instant access to product features and benefits, such as the product life cycle.

NFC tags are also used to redirect consumers to websites, where they can learn more about the brand’s initiatives and products. NFC tags can trigger mobile coupons and other promotional offers, an innovative way to drive sales. Additionally, by tracking the number of times an NFC tag is used, brands can gain valuable insights into the level of customer engagement.

NFC provides brands with a powerful tool for increasing customer engagement and sales.

How to implement NFC technology into your brand's sustainability initiatives

sustainaibility

Consumers are increasingly calling for more sustainable practices and products, which creates new opportunities for businesses. NFC technology can be easily implemented into your brand's sustainability initiatives.

NFC tags can be embedded into packaging, labels, or products, making it easy for consumers to learn more about your company’s commitment to sustainability.

When consumers tap their NFC-enabled device against an NFC tag, they can access valuable information about the product, including its environmental impact and carbon footprint.

By making this information readily available, brands help consumers make informed choices and drive change towards a more sustainable future.

Bringing value all along the way

Aside from attracting more customers, NFC technology offers multiple benefits throughout the supply chain when associated with products that:

Have a complex composition, are made of several components and materials.
Provide traceability services and tracking features.
Are likely to change ownership (second-hand market).
Are durable with multiple life cycles.
Can be refilled, repurposed, or recycled.

Exploring NFC use cases towards sustainability

NFC potential

Initially developed for contactless payment applications, NFC has become mainstream. The technology is now used in a wide range of applications including access control, asset tracking, and data sharing.

As NFC technology continues to evolve, it has the potential to play an important role in sustainability initiatives. For example, NFC tags can be used to provide additional and valuable information, such as the composition of a product or the product’s environmental performance.

In addition, NFC tags can facilitate circularity thanks to its Track & Trace functionality, which can be particularly useful for reusable products, such as containers.

More generally, one single NFC tag can be used for several applications, providing brands with more flexibility, throughout the product lifecycle. NFC can empower customers and reduce the carbon footprint. For instance, one tag can be used for brand protection, customer engagement as well as for sustainability purposes.

NFC technology has many potential applications, several major brands have already begun implementing NFC technology into their products with great success. As the technology continues to develop and become more widespread, NFC is likely to have an increasingly positive impact on sustainable business practices around the world.

Interested in using NFC technology? You’re in the right place!

ST25Connect is a program that aims to ensure the best product integration and implementation of NFC technologies.

By supporting companies from a wide range of industries, such as Paco Rabanne or NP Plastibell, in the implementation process of NFC from the start to the end, we enable the success of their NFC projects.

With ST25Connect, benefit from ST’s technological expertise and network of trusted partners to integrate NFC into your products and start leveraging its potential!

Interested in joining the ST25Connect program? Our experts can provide support and guidance. Fill out the form below. We will get back to you within a week.

Thank you for giving us the chance to help you grow.

How NFC can help companies become more sustainable

Contents