Since 1999, Advanced Nutrients has been a leading innovator in the hydroponic space.
We’re proud to announce that we’re implementing a new labeling technology for our European factory that makes it easier than ever for growers to confirm they’re purchasing only authentic Advanced Nutrients products that can help bring their crops as close to their true genetic potential as modern science will allow.
In this article you will learn:
Why a New Labeling Technology? Why Now?
With any popular brand comes the potential risk of counterfeit products.
And those fakes always cause the legitimate brand to suffer, because consumers falsely attribute their poor quality and the weak results they produce with authentic products.
That’s why it’s essential we protect the safety, purity, and quality Advanced Nutrients is known for by adopting anti-counterfeiting technologies that heighten security. And the fact is, if you accidentally use a counterfeit Advanced Nutrients product, you’ll never achieve the crop quality you’d expect when investing in our line.
We put decades of research and development into our fertilizers, biologicals and biostimulants because we believe you deserve science-backed solutions that are proven to work for your specific crops. While counterfeits might be able to mimic our design, they cannot successfully imitate our proprietary formulations.
The RFID tags are placed during the bottling process in the center of the front labels. Afterward, they are covered by the product label stickers. You need to check the center of the front label and scan within at least 1-3 cm of the tag.
And not only will the quality of your crops suffer, but because counterfeits often contain contaminants, they jeopardize the health and safety of the community. To make it worse, growers who unwittingly purchase counterfeit products are funding organized crime.
Our mission is to always provide you with the best possible products to grow the best possible crop, which is why we’re taking measures to ensure everything you buy with our name on it is actually produced by us.
What You Need to Know About RFID Tags?
RFID Tags utilize the same technology as the credit cards we swipe daily to make a purchase.
It…
- is passive
- has no battery
- emits no signal
- can only be activated and read by a device within a couple of centimeters of the label
This type of passive RFID tag cannot be used for tracking, and customer privacy is 100% assured.
How Does the BudLabs Authenticator Work?
Our new technology is based on RFID tags that are integrated into each label during the manufacturing process.
Not only does this new technology help with authenticating products, but it will also streamline our logistics and manufacturing processes so your local grow shop is always readily stocked with your favorite products.
Starting this month, you’ll be able to use the BudLabs app to scan the tags and check the authenticity of all liquid products produced in our European facility.
You need to download the latest version of BudLabs to start using the new feature.
To scan, your device must be within 1 to 3 cm of the tag.
And keep in mind that when you scan your product using the BudLabs feature, make sure you’re very close to the scanning device — within 1 to 3 cm.
Now, this is important…
Your Privacy is Protected!
You do NOT need to be worried about any privacy issues with our new labeling technology.
In fact, it’s the very same technology that’s used with credit cards and featured in almost every modern smartphone. We’ve always put the safety, security, and reputations of our clients first, so you can rest assured that your privacy is protected. We will never track our customers, and with this technology, it’s impossible to track the location of products.
Follow this link for a more detailed guide on how to work correctly with the Authenticator.
When Is This Feature Going to Be Available for You?
Later on, the Authenticator will be available for products made in the USA. Right now, however, it’s only working for liquid products made in Europe. For technical reasons, the RFID technology is not yet compatible with our water-soluble powders.
Now, the rollout of our labeling technology will not be an overnight process. We anticipate the full rollout to take 12+ months, which means that for at least another year, you can expect many real Advanced Nutrients products in your local grow shops that don’t feature the RFID tags.
We’ve made it easy for you to identify which products feature the new labeling technology; simply look for the special mark shown below:
Only products that have this text on the label are the ones produced with our new technology.
We’re thrilled to have rolled out this new RFID technology across all liquid fertilizers manufactured in Europe, and expect to be able to do the same with our tablets and our water-soluble powders in the future.
How to Identify Authentic Products Without the New Labeling Technology
If you’re trying to verify a powder or a product manufactured prior to the rollout, rest assured that there are still ways to confirm the authenticity of your recent Advanced Nutrients purchase.
Fill out the form below and upload pictures of products that you suspect may be counterfeits. Our team will let you know if they’re authentic or not!
If you purchased from an authorized retailer and there is nothing visibly wrong with the product, then it was most likely just produced before we adapted the new RFID technology or imported from the USA.
Before you submit the form, consider the following questions:
- Check the product’s look, smell, and consistency. Is it the same as the previous products you’ve purchased?
- Check the product’s label. Does something look strange or out of place?
- Make sure you know and trust the store you purchased the product from.
Submit a Question
And make sure you’re only shopping through our network of authorized retailers. See them HERE.
European Factory Other Label Changes
Finally, you can expect several other changes to our labels in Europe. Besides the new RFID tags, now you’ll also find our products translated into multiple languages for your convenience.
We thank you for your continued support throughout the years and look forward to rolling out this new technology to ensure you’re always only getting the best when you grow with Advanced Nutrients!
Please visit our troubleshooting guide if you tried using the BudLabs authenticator and ran into an issue verifying your product.
