In October 2025, GS1 officially released RFID Tag Data Standard (TDS) 2.3, marking a significant step forward in how RAIN RFID connects physical items to authoritative digital information. The update addresses a long-standing challenge in supply chain visibility: how RFID identifiers reliably point to the right data, across systems and organizations.
With TDS 2.3, RFID tags are no longer limited to carrying an identifier that must be resolved through proprietary lookup tables. Instead, they can now include web-resolvable domain name information alongside the EPC, enabling a direct link from a physical item to a live digital endpoint.
What Is RFID Tag Data Standard (TDS)?
GS1’s EPC Tag Data Standard (TDS) defines how data is structured and encoded on EPC-encoded RAIN RFID tags. It specifies:
- The structure of the Electronic Product Code (EPC)
- Its relationship to GS1 keys and other identifiers
- How data is stored across EPC/UII memory, User Memory, and control fields
- Tag-related metadata, including manufacturing information
TDS works in close coordination with the GS1 EPC Tag Data Translation (TDT) Standard, which provides machine-readable encoding and decoding rules—now delivered in JSON and XML formats under TDT 2.x.
Why TDS 2.x Was Needed
As RAIN RFID deployments have matured, the industry’s needs have shifted beyond simple identification. Modern use cases increasingly require optimized capture of supplemental AIDC data, such as:
- Expiry dates for perishable goods
- Lot and batch numbers for recall operations
- Serialized logistics-unit data for traceability
At the same time, organizations are moving toward 2D barcodes, GS1 Digital Link URIs, and web-native data models. Earlier TDS versions supported these needs only indirectly, often requiring additional middleware logic or proprietary mappings.
TDS 2.x represents a structural update designed to align RFID encoding with these emerging requirements.
Key Enhancements Introduced in TDS 2.x
TDS 2.x introduces several major improvements that expand the role of RFID in modern supply chains:
- New “EPC+” encoding schemes, simplifying encoding/decoding and improving interoperability with GS1 barcodes
- DSGTIN+, a new date-prioritized SGTIN scheme designed for perishable supply chains
- Optional encoding of AIDC data directly after the EPC in EPC/UII memory, enabling Gen2 Inventory backscatter of supplemental data
- Continued support for Packed Objects in User Memory (introduced in TDS 1.5)
- Improvements to PC/XPC and TID handling
- Support for ISO/IEC 20248 data in User Memory
- Native interoperability with GS1 Digital Link URIs, without requiring prior knowledge of GS1 Company Prefix length
Importantly, all EPC schemes defined in TDS 1.13 remain supported, ensuring backward compatibility for existing deployments.
What’s New in TDS 2.3
TDS 2.3 introduces new EPC encoding schemes that allow domain name information to be embedded directly on the RFID tag, alongside the EPC.
This enables RFID reads to resolve directly to a web URI, rather than returning only an identifier that must be reconciled across systems. In practice, this means:
- An RFID scan can point directly to a supplier-managed or enterprise-hosted endpoint
- The endpoint can contain current, authoritative data about the item
- No custom lookup tables or brittle integrations are required
In effect, RFID identifiers become web-native references, aligning RAIN RFID with modern cloud and API-based architectures.
Operational Impact: Why This Matters
The most immediate operational value of TDS 2.3 appears at the logistics-unit level—pallets, cases, containers, and transport units—where aggregation, handoffs, and risk are concentrated.
By enabling RFID tags to resolve directly to authoritative data sources:
- Data ambiguity across WMS, TMS, ERP, and partner systems is reduced
- Exception handling becomes faster and more reliable
- Integration friction between trading partners is lowered
- RFID data that already exists becomes easier to operationalize
Rather than pushing static datasets to every partner, suppliers can expose a single authoritative endpoint for certifications, provenance, handling instructions, or serialization details—making data discoverable when it is needed.
Implications for Traceability and Security
TDS 2.3 also strengthens traceability in response to rising cargo theft and organized retail crime. Serialized RFID data that resolves directly to an authoritative source makes it easier to:
- Establish origin and ownership of recovered goods
- Reduce administrative overhead during recovery
- Improve coordination between retailers, logistics providers, and authorities
While this does not eliminate theft, it lowers the cost and complexity of recovery.
Industry Adoption Outlook
Industry impact will vary:
- Pharmaceuticals will see an evolutionary improvement, building on existing traceability frameworks
- Apparel, food, and general merchandise are likely to see more immediate benefits
- Small and mid-sized firms gain improved visibility without heavy integration investment
Although the original regulatory catalyst was the EU Digital Product Passport, the logistics-unit use case has emerged as the most immediate operational payoff.
No New Hardware Required
TDS 2.3 does not require new RFID readers, tags, or platforms. Instead, it enhances the interoperability of existing RAIN RFID deployments by aligning them with modern web and enterprise architectures.
By turning RFID identifiers into discoverable, web-resolvable references, GS1 has addressed a persistent but often overlooked barrier to supply chain visibility.
The result is not flashy automation—but clearer data paths, lower integration friction, and better alignment between physical flows and digital systems.
About XIUCHENG RFID
As a manufacturer of RAIN RFID tags and industrial RFID solutions, XIUCHENG RFID closely follows GS1 standards evolution to ensure product compatibility with current and emerging supply chain requirements. We support customers and partners in adopting RFID solutions that are standards-compliant, future-ready, and designed for real-world operations.
