Bakers Basco has stepped up its equipment security with the launch of its latest GPS tracking chips across its bread baskets.

The bread basket supplier said the run-up to Christmas was the company’s busiest time of the year and the latest tracking chips would combat further equipment misuse.

Bakers Basco has experienced a number of bakery businesses using its equipment this year without its permission and failing to pay a licence fee to use them.

The decision comes after last year’s introduction of tracking chips across Bakers Basco’s dollies – the wheeled trolleys for moving the baskets around. The GPS tracking chips provided evidence in a number of court cases that led to heavy fines for many bakery businesses.

Steve Millward, general manager at Bakers Basco, said that, at Christmas, there was a real danger that basket theft could disrupt the bread supply chain, which could result in many families left without bread.

“Our innovative tracking system exceeded expectations when we used it to cut down on dolly losses,” said Millward. “It was a no-brainer to build on this by putting chips into the baskets.”