Developments with GS1 standards and applications John Pearce 7 November 2014

Agenda What the GS1 System is achieving The importance of GS1 barcodes to enable accurate data capture Which barcodes are going to be more popular Changes to the GS1 General Specifications, especially concerning verification

GS1: A global system of standards designs and implements a global system of supply chain standards GS1 standards provide a framework that allows products, services, and information about them to move efficiently and securely for the benefit of businesses and the improvement of people’s lives, everyday, everywhere.

GS1 System of Standards GS1 Standards for identifying, capturing, and sharing information—about products, business locations, and more—make it possible for companies to speak the same language, connect with each other, and move their business forward.

GS1’s four key product areas Global standards for automatic identification Rapid and accurate item, asset or location identification Global standards for electronic business messaging Rapid, efficient & accurate business data exchange The network for global data synchronisation Standardised, reliable data for effective business transactions Global standards for RFID-based identification More accurate, immediate and cost effective visibility of information

GS1 System Architecture

GS1 identification keys GTINs for products, services GLNs for locations (legal and physical) SSCCs for logistics units GIAIs for individual assets GRAIs for returnable assets GDTIs for documents GSRNs for individuals in a particular context GINCs for consignments GSINs for shipments GCN for money-off coupons CPID for manufacturers’ own supply-chains

GS1 barcodes For retail point of sale and general distribution: EAN/UPC, GS1 DataBar For general distribution ITF-14, GS1-128 For regulated healthcare products GS1 DataMatrix (GTINs and GIAIs) For animal healthcare products (including general distribution) GS1 DataMatrix For extended packaging GS1 QR Code

GS1 barcodes

More GS1 barcodes GS1 DataMatrix in use now for regulated healthcare products and all animal healthcare packaging levels. GS1 QR Code, standardised since 2012, to provide link to extra information about the product – technique called ‘extended packaging’.

Increased use of 2D symbols GS1 is working with the Consumer Goods Forum and the Food Marketing Institute to develop the next generation of product identification – NGPI. This will enable more specific information about the product to be available to the consumer. This would be a GTIN plus either Packaging Variant, Web URL, Expiry Date, Batch/Lot Number, or Serial Number – with Packaging Variant being looked at first.

Same five GTIN attributes as healthcare More information GTIN plus: Package Variant Web URL Expiry Date Lot Number Serial Number Advanced data carriers GS1 QR Code GS1 DataMatrix GS1 DataBar 12

Issues and opportunities Short-term focus Data Item Issues and opportunities What’s next? Package Variation Number Provides consumers with accurate information PVN Allocation Rules to be established alongside refresh of GTIN Allocation rules GS1 Standard does not exist – GSMP starting now AIDC testing URL Requires larger area on packaging Potential alternative to using a URL embedded in a GS1 QR Code Update OMA standards Expiry date Parameters to be established Dynamic printing currently limited to line speeds up to 120 ppm Catalogue best practices Assess dynamic printing capability Lot Number Little interest here due to practical problem of dynamic printing capability Lower priority, for now Serial Number

Increasing reliance on extra data The GS1 work on NGPI is continuing, and at the moment is considering how best to enable mobile scanning – consumers using their smartphones. The GS1 standard for extended packaging using a GS1 QR Code, and the AIs 01 and 8200 is not being used. Whatever is eventually decided, a two-dimensional symbol will be required, initially alongside an EAN/UPC/GS1 DataBar symbol, and perhaps, eventually replacing it.

Consumer Information Transparency Initiative This is sponsored by the Grocery Manufacturers Association (GMA), with support from the FMI and GS1, and is aiming to improve information for consumers. A smartphone app that will enable consumers to have much more detailed information about the particular product they are looking at.

A CITI governance model is needed Information and dialogue provided by the Brand Consumer Information Transparency Initiative Scan the QR Code CITI Defined Attributes Attributes on the landing page must be correct, regulated and defined CITI needs to explain this is communication with the brand

A possible landing page

Other GS1 research As new barcodes (such as GS1 DataBar Expanded) can be used throughout the supply chain, and scanners must be able to decode more symbols, are the barcodes the correct size? GS1 is organising research with the University of Pittsburgh, to test thousands of differently sized, different symbols with different scanners, to see if the Symbol Specification Tables should be adjusted.

Changes to GS1 standards for 2015 New AIs for fish traceability New rules for text below bar codes on healthcare trade items New GTIN allocation rules for healthcare products USA coupon codes withdrawn

Changes to GS1 standards for 2015 Allowing GS1 DataMatrix for direct part marking for retail point of sale together with EAN/UPC/GS1 DataBar symbols. Allowing for more use of GS1 QR Code as an alternative to GS1 DataMatrix Changes to aperture sizes for verification of EAN/UPC symbols.

The verification changes These are being made so that verification matches more closely the scanning environments. Retail point-of-sale scanners use narrower beams of light than general distribution scanners. Axicon plug-ins will be available for users to ensure that they choose the correct aperture size for the particular application. See section 5.5.2.7 of GS1 General Specifications.

New minimum quality specifications EAN/UPC/GS1 DataBar symbols X-dimension range Scanning environment Minimum quality specification 0.264 mm* to 0.66 mm (Target size - 0.33 mm) Retail point-of- sale 1.5/06/660 0.495 mm to 0.66 mm (Target size – 0.66 mm) General distribution 1.5/10/660 (Target size – 0.66mm) Retail POS and GD *0.250 mm is minimum size for on-demand printing

GS1 Verification Templates

For 1D and 2D symbols

Plug-ins for extra functionality GS1 verification templates are one example of the optional plug-ins that Axicon provides. Plug-ins can be used to validate the correct structure of some identification numbers, check GTIN validity with the correct database, and so on. Plug-ins can be written by Axicon staff to meet customers’ particular requirements.

Contact details John Pearce E-mail jp@axicon.com