Abstract: This invention relates to a deactivating device for deactivating shoplifting detection labels of an electronic shoplifting detection system. These labels comprise a resonant circuit with a coil and a capacitor and the deactivating device comprises an antenna circuit comprising an antenna coil tuned with at least one capacitor to the resonant frequency of the resonant circuit. By means of this arrangement, sufficient energy can be induced in a resonant circuit of a label to effect electrical breakdown in the capacitor thereof. According to the invention, the antenna coil of the deactivating device is coupled, on the one hand, to a supply source and, on the other, to earth via a switch. Circuitry is provided for supplying at intervals control pulses to the switch in order to bring the switch into the conductive state.