GS1 DataBar
What is GS1 DataBar?
Barcodes are usually taken for granted, yet their impact on retailers has been enormousYou will find barcodes on most products that you sell. They are quick and simple to scan, helping you to serve your customers quickly. For many retailers they also help to simplify stock control and re-ordering.
The barcodes used on most products found in the retail environment are called EAN/UPC Barcodes. They were introduced over 30 years ago and today they are used successfully throughout the world by almost all manufacturers and retailers.
The limitations with existing barcodes
Not all products are barcoded, particularly those which are simply too small for existing available barcodes, such as cosmetics, Do It Yourself (DIY) hardware, jewellery and so on. Also, loose, fresh produce such as apples, pears, tomatoes are not generally barcoded. Products that are not barcoded cause problems for retailers – they take longer to process and mistakes are often made.
In addition, existing barcodes can only identify a product - using a globally unique number known as the Global Trade Item Number (GTIN). Increasingly, retailers and manufacturers want to include more information in the barcode, such as expiry dates, weights, batch numbers, serial numbers and more.
Introducing GS1 DataBar
After many years of discussion and agreement between retailers and manufacturers around the world, GS1 DataBar has been introduced.
GS1 DataBar has seven different variations, four of which have been approved for use at Point-of-Sale and are called GS1 DataBar Omnidirectional, GS1 DataBar Stacked Omnidirectional, GS1 DataBar Expanded and GS1 DataBar Expanded Stacked.
The Omnidirectional versions of GS1 DataBar can be smaller than the existing EAN/UPC Barcodes that you find on almost all the products that are sold in the retail market, meaning they can be used on the small products that are currently difficult to barcode. This makes it easier for retailers as more and more products can be quickly and accurately scanned.
The Expanded versions of GS1 DataBar allow users to encode additional information, such as expiry dates, weights, batch numbers, serial numbers and more; retailers and manufacturers will need to use such additional information to meet future customer demands and regulatory requirements.
So, if you work in retail, no matter what size your business is, you need to prepare for GS1 DataBar today.
