Dynamics of sensor-based information in supply chains with perishables substitutable by non-perishables

Supply chains with either perishables or non-perishables have been well-studied as evidenced through extant published literature. Among these studies, very few consider supply chains with both perishable and non-perishable products. Since the early 2000s, RFID (Radio-Frequency IDentification) tags have been increasingly used in supply chains that deal with perishables as well as non-perishables. While there is a reasonably large amount of published literature on RFID use in supply chains, we are unaware of any that considers the dynamics of RFID-generated information in supply chains that simultaneously involve perishables substitutable by non-perishables in retail environments. We attempt to address this void. We consider the relative benefits of sensor-enabled RFID tag use in supply chains that simultaneously contain perishables substitutable by non-perishables. We also derive expressions for conditions on their dynamics through specific consideration of their pre-determined and actual expiry dates. We operationalize our analysis from the perspective of retailers and customers.