GS1 Databar Barcode
GS1 UK, the not-for-profit supply chain standards and solutions organisation, has launched a new web resource to raise awareness of the new GS1 DataBar bar code ahead of its introduction as a global standard in 2014.
The new bar code will be used throughout the retail sector and all stores should prepare for its introduction now. GS1 UK recommends that all stores should check their scanning equipment to ensure that it can scan GS1 DataBar to benefit from faster customer service and better stock control.
www.gs1databar.org.uk provides clear guidance on all aspects of the new bar code, in order to help independent retailers ensure their readiness for the 2014 introduction. The website includes a five-step checklist for store managers to ensure their scanning systems are GS1 DataBar compatible, and answers to commonly-asked questions about the new bar code.
GS1 DataBar is set to join the current GS1 bar codes that have been used on most retail products over the past 30 years, and will enable an even greater range of items to be identified at the checkout. Key advantages of GS1 DataBar for retailers include its ability to be used on small or irregularly-shaped items such as fresh, loose produce and cosmetics, and to access far more information within the bar code in preparation for future consumer demand and legislation for additional product data such as expiry dates and batch numbers.
The smaller size of GS1 DataBar, potentially half the size of the current EAN-13 bar code, allows it to be affixed to items that are often not bar coded. The product codes for these items often have to be entered manually at the point-of-sale, which takes time and is subject to human error. GS1 DataBar can speed up these transactions at the checkout, enabling stores to offer a better level of customer service.
Suppliers will also benefit from increased packaging space for branding and additional information for consumers, such as nutritional values, details of allergens, more in-depth product data and, in the future, details of an item’s environmental impact. With the industry predicting a 400 per cent increase in the amount of data retailers need to hold about products, GS1 DataBar’s capability to store more data will also help stores comply with increased consumer and regulatory demands.
Scottish Grocers Federation