Historically, most EAS smart labels were applied by the retailer or librarian or their sub-contractor but now the reverse is the case, with most EAS tags applied when the product or package is made. This creates economy of scale and allows tags to be placed out of sight so the thief does not know what to avoid. In years to come, most of this source tagging will be on or in the products themselves, except where impractical. Today, most EAS tags are applied to the inside of packaging.
Source tagging is driven by the requirements of retailers such as Wal-Mart particularly related to food and drink and other mass retail produce.