Abstract: A method of deactivating electromagnetic detection labels comprising a resonant circuit, in which an interrogation field is generated, the frequency of which is varied through a frequency range comprising the resonant frequency of the resonant circuit of the detection label, and in which a label is deactivated with an amplified interrogation field. According to the invention, the frequency of the interrogation field is continuously and periodically varied between a first and a second frequency; upon detection of a detection label, the resonant frequency of the label is detected, and at at least one of the subsequent times the periodically varying frequency passes the detected frequency, the field intensity at the location of the detection label is greatly increased for a short period of time.