What is GS1 DataBar?

Bar codes are usually taken for granted, yet their
impact on retailers has been enormous.

You will find bar codes on most products that you sell. They are quick and simple to scan, helping you to serve your customers quickly. And for many retailers they also help to simplify stock control and re-ordering.

The bar codes you find on products today are managed by an organisation called GS1, a not-for-profit organisation that ensures the numbers that are encoded in the bar code symbols are unique and secure.

The bar codes used on most products are called EAN-13 bar codes. They were introduced over 30 years ago and today they are used successfully throughout the world by almost all manufacturers and retailers.

The problems with existing bar codes

But not all products are bar coded, particularly those which are simply too small for existing bar codes, such as cosmetics, pharmaceuticals, DIY hardware, jewellery and so on. Also, loose, fresh produce such as apples, pears, tomatoes etc are not usually bar coded. Products that are not bar coded cause problems for retailers – they take longer to sell and mistakes are often made. In addition, existing bar codes can only identify a product – using a globally unique number from GS1. Increasingly, retailers and manufacturers want to include more information in the bar code, such as expiry dates, weights, batch numbers, serial numbers and more.

“We are already having to find more room for additional details on packaging, such as nutritional labelling, allergens, detailed product information, and, in the future, the likelihood of having to record carbon labelling.  Increasing the available space on products by using smaller symbols such as the GS1 DataBar will help us achieve this.” Chris Tyas, Supply Chain Director, Nestlé

Introducing GS1 DataBar
As a result of this, and after many years of discussion and agreement between retailers and manufacturers around the world, a new bar code, called GS1 DataBar, is being introduced.

GS1 DataBar is smaller than the existing GS1 bar codes that you find on almost all the products you currently sell. This means it can be used on the small products that are currently difficult to bar code, and it can be used, on small peel-off labels, on fresh, loose produce such as tomatoes, apples, pears etc. This makes it easier for retailers as more and more products can be quickly and accurately scanned.

GS1 DataBar can also encode the additional information, such as expiry dates, weights, batch numbers, serial numbers and more, which retailers and manufacturers will need 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.