By TOM MALVEAUX/Reuters Chinese authorities are to begin testing gun-like tags for garments, which they said would help people identify the owner of the items, a measure aimed at stopping illegal sales.

The Chinese government, which has tightened controls on clothing in recent years, has been working on the new tags, which will be rolled out over the coming weeks, Xinhua news agency reported on Sunday.

It was not immediately clear if the new measures would cover the whole garment industry, including the production of clothing, but the move comes as Chinese retailers are increasingly worried about the rise in crime linked to the country’s booming online shopping market.

The aim is to provide the public with information about the clothing that has been purchased and to identify who owns it, the Xinhua report said.

China has been one of the biggest consumers of online sales in the world, with more than 200 million online shoppers buying nearly $9 trillion worth of goods in 2014.

The number of online shoppers in China, however, is expected to grow at a slower pace in the years ahead as Chinese consumers turn to online shopping, as well as other sources of income, including car sales.