UK chip company Pragmatic Semiconductor targeted a slice of a growing market for item-level RFID NFC products with its latest line, pledging to boost a host of areas including product authentication and customer loyalty schemes.

NFC Connect targets mass-market products Pragmatic Semiconductor stated are usually hindered by cost and supply chain matters. It uses the company’s flexible integrated circuit technology, which CEO David Moore said is a sustainable means of bridging the digital and physical worlds.

The line is compatible with ISO15693 and NFC Forum Type V standards, and is designed to integrate with the existing workflows of inlay manufacturers, label converters and service bureaus.

Pragmatic Semiconductor noted the range is compatible with NFC-enabled iOS and Android smartphones.

Item-level intelligence is described by the International Quality and Productivity Centre as a foundational technology with the potential to unlock the full potential of the broader IoT sector by using RFID tags on individual items to increase visibility into stock levels.

The boost can help retailers to match demand in physical and online stores, or shift stock between the channels.

Moore said NFC Connect will promote “sustainable customer innovation, enabling brands to unlock richer consumer experiences and drive deeper connections” through customer loyalty schemes, “product authentication and provenance”.

The set-up can also boost efforts to reuse or recycle goods “for a more circular economy”.

Pragmatic Semiconductor stated the first product in its NFC Connect line is available in sample quantities as “frame-mounted 300mm wafers, singulated dies and sample inlays”.