GTIN
Colloquially, many know GTIN as a barcode, but technically, GTIN is the number found beneath the barcode symbol itself, and can therefore also be used for other technologies such as 2D barcodes and RFID tags.
Colloquially, many know GTIN as a barcode, but technically, GTIN is the number found beneath the barcode symbol itself, and can therefore also be used for other technologies such as 2D barcodes and RFID tags.
50 years after the barcode was scanned for the first time, 22 of the world's largest companies are signing a joint global statement calling for a transition to GS1-powered QR codes. GS1 is the neutral, not-for-profit organization that has managed and developed the current global barcode system for the past 50 years, to the benefit of the entire world. These 22 companies want to lead the way in revolutionizing the consumer experience and making data about products, their carbon footprint, ingredients, and much more available with just one simple scan from a phone.
On the 50th anniversary of the first barcode scan, 22 industry leaders – including online marketplaces like Alibaba.com, the retail chain Carrefour, and the two largest FMCG manufacturers, Nestlé and Procter & Gamble – are calling for the global adoption of QR codes with GS1 standards. Powered by GS1, the leading standards organization behind the barcode, these QR codes can contain a wide range of consumer-relevant product information that is easily accessible via smartphones – which is expected to revolutionize the consumer experience, just as the barcode did 50 years ago.
Since the early 1970s, retailers and manufacturers have worked with GS1 to adopt the current barcode as the universal way to identify products. The barcode as we know it today is used on over 1 billion products and scanned more than 10 billion times a day. Today, global industry leaders are uniting once again to initiate the second barcode revolution, which also marks the start of the global transition to QR codes with GS1 standards – in English: QR codes powered by GS1.
"The first barcode scan changed how we buy and sell products forever," says Renaud de Barbuat, President & CEO of GS1, and continues:
Fifty years later, 22 industry leaders have joined forces to call for the transition to QR codes based on GS1 standards. This joint effort is the beginning of a transformation in what and how we shop, eat, and live. We believe this marks the start of a barcode revolution that will increase transparency and traceability for all products worldwide and fundamentally transform the consumer experience. We are opening up the future of retail.
- Renaud de Barbuat, President & CEO of GS1
Unlike traditional barcodes, GS1-powered QR codes give consumers access to product information that makes it easier to make more informed choices when shopping.
Under the banner 'Sunrise 2027', a massive collaborative effort has been launched to promote global standards for efficiency, safety, and sustainability across the retail and consumer industries. The 22 companies beginning to bid farewell to the familiar barcode are a mix of leading brand owners, manufacturers, and marketplaces with a combined market value of over 1.3 trillion USD.
The goal of this collaboration is ambitious and clear: by the end of 2027, QR codes with GS1 standards must be widely adopted. This requires a strong and coordinated effort between manufacturers and retailers. Manufacturers are encouraged to initiate the implementation of GS1-standard QR codes on product packaging, while retailers must ensure their POS scanners are capable of reading the new barcodes.
The transformation is already underway, with testing currently taking place in 48 countries around the world.
GS1Trade Image provides professional marketing and planogram images that meet retailers' requirements and imaging guidelines.
If you want to create your own product photos, we can also help you get certified.
GS1Trade Sync is a data pool for product data exchange that your trading partners can access.
GS1Trade Sync streamlines data exchange between trading partners because data only needs to be entered in one place. This increases the quality of product data and creates value for you - and the entire value chain.
GS1Trade Packaging is a packaging data system that gathers your packaging data in one place. The system ensures efficient collection, structuring, and declaration of packaging data, and makes it easy to exchange packaging data with other companies.
GS1Trade Exact ensures the quality of your product data. All physical products are checked against the data registered in GS1Trade Sync.
With this service, you get verified and quality-assured data that benefits the entire supply chain.
GS1Trade Transact handles the digital receipt of orders and the sending of documents to your customers. You can choose whether to integrate it with your financial system or access it online.
GTIN (also known as EAN) stands for “Global Trade Item Number” and is the number sequence shown beneath a barcode symbol.
GTIN (EAN) is a global standard used to uniquely identify digital and physical products, allowing the barcode to be scanned anywhere in the world throughout the supply chain.
A GLN (also known as EAN) allows you to uniquely identify physical, functional, legal, or digital entities. This can include the sender, receiver, buyer, seller, supplier, manufacturer, delivery location, billing location, store, or internal departments.
