Why You May Need a BLE Label, Even If You Don’t Know It Yet

July 28, 2025

Imagine knowing, at every moment and within a few meters, exactly where your product is. Imagine having a complete record of the cold chain. This could be the difference between fresh and spoiled food — or between an effective vaccine and one that no longer works.

But how does it work? Bluetooth low energy (BLE) labels look much like any other label on the outside. Inside, they are different. The BLE chip, powered by a battery or even an energy-harvesting sub-system, periodically emits a signal. This signal could include a unique ID, the current temperature, a complete temperature history, and more.

The loading door of your refrigerator truck stays open for longer than expected? You will know, in real time. A customer wants evidence of an un-broken cold chain? You have it. For every single item, at configurable intervals.

This is possible because BLE gateways, devices that listen to the BLE beacons, aggregate data and transmit it to your backend. They are inexpensive and may be placed almost anywhere: in your warehouse, in your trucks, even at your customer’s premises.

“This is a game-changer for the industry”, says Michael Zehnpfennig, VP of Engineering at Identiv. “BLE beacons have a radically simple design, allowing our customers to place active monitoring devices in places where it would not have been affordable just a few years back.”

But BLE labels don’t just log data — they enable event-based actions. If something goes wrong (like a temperature spike), you’ll know immediately, allowing your team to respond before damage is done. 

As BLE rises,” says Klaus Simonmeyer, VP at Identiv, “Customers want more than location — they want smart, tailored solutions. That’s what specialized IoT is all about, and BLE is making it possible." 

Could BLE be the right technology for you? 

Download our brochure or talk to our experts, today!