The Gillette Co. announced plans early last month to buy 500 million radio frequency identification (RFID) tags from Alien Technology Corp. if initial tests go well. The tags, which will be embedded in labels and attached to individual Gillette consumer packaged goods over the next several years, are the first major commercial order for the new electronic product code (EPC) developed at MIT's Auto-ID Center, says Alien CEO Stav Prodromou. EPC tags feature a worldwide standard that ensures their interoperability with any reader. Such a label tracks a product through its life cycle, letting companies track inventory levels and product movement at the pallet, case, and shelf levels, and prevent lost, stolen, or counterfeit products.