Avery Dennison expands smart packaging with active Bluetooth labels

Avery Dennison has introduced AD Visi, a new range of active Bluetooth Low Energy labels designed to provide continuous visibility for high-value and time-sensitive shipments.

The new portfolio extends the role of intelligent labels beyond traditional identification by enabling real-time tracking and condition monitoring throughout supply chains.

The technology targets applications where knowing the location, status and environment of products during transport can improve efficiency, reduce losses and strengthen supply-chain control.

Bluetooth enables continuous shipment visibility

Traditional RFID and barcode technologies are widely used for product identification and inventory management, but they generally require scanning events or dedicated reading infrastructure.

Active Bluetooth labels can transmit information continuously over longer distances, creating opportunities for more dynamic monitoring of goods as they move through logistics networks.

This capability is particularly relevant for pharmaceutical, healthcare, food, electronics and other industries where product conditions can directly influence value and quality.

Labels combine tracking with condition monitoring

The AD Visi range is designed to support more than location tracking.

By integrating sensors and Bluetooth connectivity, active labels can provide information about shipment conditions, helping companies identify potential issues before products reach their destination.

Monitoring factors such as temperature, movement or handling events can improve quality control and support faster responses when supply-chain problems occur.

Smart packaging moves towards real-time data

The launch reflects a broader shift in packaging from passive identification towards connected systems capable of generating operational data.

As companies face increasing pressure to improve traceability, reduce waste and comply with digital supply-chain requirements, packaging labels are becoming important sources of information rather than simple printed identifiers.

This evolution is also linked to wider developments such as Digital Product Passports, authentication systems and automated inventory management.

High-value shipments drive adoption

Not every packaging application requires continuous monitoring, but the technology is particularly suited to products where losses or quality failures create significant financial impact.

Healthcare products, temperature-sensitive goods, premium products and critical industrial components are among the areas where active tracking can provide measurable value.

For these categories, improved visibility can help companies optimise logistics decisions and reduce uncertainty across complex distribution networks.

Integration remains critical for connected packaging

The value of smart labels depends not only on the hardware but also on the ability to integrate generated data into existing supply-chain systems.

Connected packaging platforms must combine sensors, cloud systems, analytics and operational workflows to transform tracking information into useful decisions.

This means future packaging solutions are likely to evolve as complete digital ecosystems rather than isolated labels or tags.

Active labels expand the role of packaging

With AD Visi, Avery Dennison is positioning packaging labels as active participants in supply-chain management.

The move highlights how advances in low-power connectivity are creating new opportunities for packaging to support transparency, security and efficiency.

As smart packaging adoption grows, technologies such as Bluetooth, RFID and NFC are expected to complement each other, providing different levels of identification, interaction and real-time visibility depending on application requirements.