Uniqlo invests in RFID for growth in the U.S. and Europe

Fast Retailing remains confident in the future of physical stores.

Japanese fashion retailer Uniqlo plans to increase investment in developing RDIF technology in its stores. The initiative is part of Uniqlo’s strategy for growth in the United States and Europe. Fast Retailing, which runs Uniqlo’s retail business, expects the digital innovation to provide a better shopping experience, attract more customers and drive growth in key operating metrics.

“We have already implemented RFID technology for self-checkout services and many other services for our customers using RFID technology. We are evolving our digital platform so that customers have a seamless shopping experience,” the company commented.

As of January 2023, Uniqlo operated 45 stores in the United States. The Japanese retailer (which also operates the GU, Theory, PLST, Comptoir des Cotonniers, Princesse tam.tam, J Brand, and Helmut Lang brands) has estimated global sales of $16.6 billion a year. Earlier this month, the company announced plans to raise its domestic payroll by 40 percent.

Fast Retailing remains confident in the future of physical stores, despite the strong growth of the online segment in recent years. “The more people become digital natives, the more important human interaction in-store becomes. That’s why we want to improve our personal customer experience by developing digital technology so that our employees can better serve customers in stores,” the company said.