NXP teams up with Guala on 'smart' security closures

NXP Semiconductors has formed an alliance with Guala Closures to develop anti-counterfeit and tamper-evident closures for the wines and spirits industry.

The collaboration will focus on closures that make use of near-field communication (NFC) technology to detect and log bottle opening and provide consumers with evidence of the provenance of a bottle via a smartphone app.

"NFC will also be used to offer a direct engagement touch point with consumers," said the partners in a statement. "With a simple tap from an NFC-enabled smart device, consumers can learn more about the beverage in question, receive cocktail recipes, special offers, loyalty rewards and much more."

Smart closures are starting to be piloted in the wines and spirits industry, with notable examples being the roll-out of an NFC closure on bottles of Diageo's Johnnie Walker Blue Label in Thailand and Rémy Martin Club cognac in China.

Netherlands-based NXP is among the biggest players in the semiconductor industry, with more than 45,000 employees and operations in 35 countries around the world. Meanwhile Guala - based in Italy - focuses on closures for alcoholic beverages, soft drinks, wine, oil and pharmaceuticals.

According to Guala, counterfeits account for around 12 per cent of the spirits market, representing an illicit trade in the region of $1bn.