Target, the fourth largest U.S. retailer, joins the growing list of companies mandating that their suppliers use RFID.

Target's top suppliers will have to comply by the spring of 2005. All suppliers must have RFID at the pallet and case level by 2007.

Target is extremely popular in the U.S. with women looking for upscale, yet inexpensively priced, housewares. Target joins discount retailer Walmart in requiring suppliers to tag goods.

Source is the RFID Journal, with a hat tip to Anders at RFIDbuzz.com who rightly observes:

"Such massive retailers have a large market muscle and are likely to be the main drivers for RFID adaptation "everywhere" in Retail / Supply chain over the next years."