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.
When the requirement for extended producer responsibility for packaging hit Danish companies, the first reaction for many was:
"We'll make an Excel sheet."
It seems quick. It seems cheap. And it seems like a solution you have control over yourself.
But for many companies, Excel quickly becomes more of a temporary fix than a sustainable one.
Because packaging data is no longer just numbers in a spreadsheet. It's economics, documentation, traceability, compliance, and cross-organizational collaboration. And as requirements grow — including with the Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation (PPWR), which comes into force in August — so do the consequences of errors and lack of overview.
Initially, the idea of an Excel sheet for your packaging data might seem manageable. But reality quickly changes:
Then the classic questions arise. Which version is correct? Who changed what? Are the numbers up to date? Where does the data actually come from? Can we document it?
This is where many companies will discover that Excel is not built to handle complex packaging data over time.
When data is handled manually, the risk of errors increases significantly. These can include minor typos, incorrect material categories, gradations, or outdated information that was never updated. The consequences, however, can be incorrect reporting, ultimately leading to erroneous invoices for companies regarding their packaging (waste) management, lack of documentation, resource-intensive control and quality assurance, and the risk of fines or sanctions for inaccurate submissions.
And perhaps most importantly: Time.
Many companies today spend a surprising amount of internal resources maintaining, controlling, and validating data in spreadsheets, which were originally intended to simplify their work.
As an association representing our members' interests, it was clear to us that many GS1 members, facing extended producer responsibility, would encounter the exact same challenges. To prevent each company from having to develop its own system and method for handling packaging data, we developed GS1Trade Packaging. This was specifically designed to make it easier, more efficient, and more precise for Danish companies to manage packaging data and comply with the requirements of extended producer responsibility and PPWR.
This approach is inherent in GS1's DNA and its role as a neutral, not-for-profit standardization organization, dedicated to making trade and data exchange between companies more efficient and secure.
With GS1Trade Packaging, companies gain a single, centralized platform for managing packaging data. This ensures that sustainability, procurement, compliance, and master data departments all work from the same information, rather than relying on different versions in various spreadsheets. The system can also be used to retrieve data directly from suppliers.
The platform also enables you to:
For many companies, it's therefore not just about compliance.
It's also about gaining an overview, saving time, and achieving greater confidence in the data the company works with every day.
Learn more about the system
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.
