Barcodes are machine-readable formats that present data in a clear, structured and standardised manner. They enable cross-border trade by facilitating seamless and transparent information flow between all supply chain stakeholders. No product today can be sold without a barcode, be it at the transportation stage or point of sale, barcodes promote access to accurate product information. GS1 is the only organisation which provides unique identification to products, globally. Worldwide, 116 countries are affiliated with GS1 Global working towards ensuring businesses and industries across countries work systematically adhering to the GS1 global standards of supply chain.

GS1 India is one of the 116 member organisations of GS1 Global. In India, only GS1 India is authorised to issue barcodes or unique identification to businesses to sell products. In this blog, we will learn how sellers can get barcodes from GS1 India easily. We will also understand what are the different types of barcodes and how industries benefit from their implementation.

Understanding Barcodes

1974 was the year when for the first time, a product was scanned at a retail store using a barcode. Since then, barcodes have gained prevalence around the globe. From FMCG to Healthcare and Transportation, every industry today is advancing with the implementation of barcode technology. The technology works when subjected closer to a scanner which then reads and interprets product data encoded in the barcode.

Barcode in itself cannot provide information; it has a set of numbers encoded which provide the necessary information on the product. This set of numbers is termed as GTIN or Global Trade Item Number. A GTIN of any product works as its unique identity in the market. This unique identity serves as the basis of supply chain transparency and traceability of the product journey. GTIN can be of 13-digits, 8-digits, 12-digits, and 14-digits. EAN and UPC are the other two barcode symbologies used apart from GTIN. Let’s learn the difference between all.

UPC – It stands for Universal Product Code (UPC) and is used to provide unique identification to products manufactured and sold in North America. It has two types –

• UPC-A: A 12-digit unique identification number with a trailing check digit.
• UPC-E: A 8-digits unique identification number used on small products with space constraints.

EAN – European Article Number (EAN) is used synonymously with GTIN all around the world. It is accepted and used as the global trade item number. Similar to UPC, EAN too has two types EAN-13/GTIN-13: A 13-digit unique identification number.

EAN-8/GTIN-8: An 8-digit unique identification number serving the same purpose as UPC-E.

Barcodes are of two types; one-dimensional and two-dimensional. Under 1D barcodes, we have GTIN/EAN/UPC, GS1-128 (used on tertiary level packaging) and ITF-14 (barcodes with thick outer bars to ensure readability printed on corrugated materials and boxes). 2D barcodes also have types; QR Code (can encode URLs to websites to provide detailed product information) and GS1 DataMatrix (used in the healthcare industry). In comparison to 1D, 2D can encode more information making them the next barcode revolution.

Why You Need a Barcode for Your Product

Barcodes play a crucial role in fostering transparency in the supply chain and enabling a faster, more reliable and more efficient supply chain system. Below mentioned are some more reasons why businesses need barcodes for their product –

Extensive Reach: Having GS1 barcodes on products provides them extensive reach and makes it easier to sell products either domestically or internationally on both online and offline marketplaces with no trade restrictions.

Trust & Authenticity: By enabling access to quick and correct product data, GS1 barcodes build trust and authenticity between different supply chain stakeholders and consumers.

Global Standardisation: Since GS1 barcodes are based on the global standards of the supply chain, businesses can conform to the global supply chain requirements.

Inventory management: With barcodes, businesses can efficiently optimise and manage their inventory levels. They can prepare for situations like overstocking and stockouts.

Supply Chain Traceability: Barcodes on products can facilitate traceability of the product’s journey from source to shelf. This can help businesses identify problems such as counterfeiting and adulteration at an early stage.

Targeted Product Recalls: If any underlying issue is identified in the supply chain process, businesses can initiate targeted recall of the affected lot.

The list does not end here, there are numerous other benefits of GS1 barcodes. However, to avail of all these benefits you need to subscribe to these barcodes. We have provided a detailed step-by-step guide below to help simplify your registration journey with GS1 India.

Steps to Generate a Barcode for Your Product

Subscribing with GS1 India for barcodes is a very simple process that involves six steps. Find below a detailed description of each step for your convenience.

Step 1:

Visit GS1 India’s official website or follow this link – www.gs1india.org

Step 2:

Under the ‘Services’ header on the home page, click on ‘Register for barcodes’.

Step 3:

Upon clicking, a page will open. When you scroll down you will find the complete registration process. You can calculate your barcode registration fees on the page. To start your registration process, click on the ‘Register Now’ button.

Step 4:

A five-step comprehensive barcode registration form will open. You will have to enter your company’s details in that form and submit the required documents wherever asked.

Step 5:

Once you have completed the form, you may click on the submit button and pay the one-time registration fees for the barcode subscription.

Step 6:

The team at GS1 India will reach out to you after they receive your details and submitted form. Within 7-10 working days you will be given your Global Company Prefix (GCP) to log into your DataKart account and generate product GTINs.

This GTIN can now be encoded in a barcode and used on your products. For information on how you can create barcodes and apply them to your products, you can visit GS1 India’s solution provider page, or follow this link – https://www.gs1india.org/find-a-solution-provider/.

Conclusion

GS1 barcodes are the cornerstone of an interoperable, standardised, transparent and structured supply chain ecosystem. By subscribing with GS1 for barcodes businesses simplify their journey to operational excellence and strengthen trust and loyalty with their customers. Please note only GS1 India is the authorised provider of barcodes in India. No other company can issue barcodes starting with ‘890’ which is the country code assigned to GS1 India by GS1 Global and also is the intellectual property of GS1 India.