Public Health and Safety
Data Standards That Protect Lives and Improve System Resilience
GS1 standards help ensure the safe and efficient delivery of healthcare products, food, and other regulated goods. In health, they support medicine traceability, patient safety, and stock control. In food and beverage, they underpin rapid recalls and allergen identification. These systems are relied on by regulators and providers to improve public safety and reduce response times in emergencies.
Examples
Implementation in the National Digital Health Strategy
Use in National Product Catalogue and vaccine traceability
GS1 standards in food recall systems and allergen warnings
Unique medical device identification and recall
National Impact
GS1 standards are integral to Australia’s public safety infrastructure, enabling faster response times in health and food emergencies. Independent modelling shows that their use in healthcare contributes to millions in annual cost savings through improved stock visibility, avoided product recalls, and reduced medicine wastage.
In food safety, GS1-enabled traceability shortens recall response times and minimises public exposure to contamination-helping regulators manage incidents like allergen mislabelling and listeria outbreaks. These capabilities directly support national strategies for health security, crisis preparedness, and consumer protection.
Learn more about the national economic impact of using supply chain standards