The supermarket's clothing range George will use the Nortag from later this month.

The tags, produced at its Boston plant in Lincolnshore on Norprint's purpose-built flexo presses, use an encapsulated acousto-magnetic device set inside a George branded card tag.

Norprint took seven years to develop the device, which sets off store alarms if not deactivated at the tills. The Nortag will replace traditional plastic hard tags.

"This new security tag has provided us with a discreet, aesthetic and effective alternative to the cumbersome hard tags previously used," said Asda George head of operations John Harper.

James Barker has been appointed general manager of Nortag. The newly created position will expand the client base of the "brand authentication and retail security solutions" division of Norprint. Barker will be responsible for establishing and managing the international manufacture and supply logistics for each client project.

By Philip Chadwick