Although GS1-128 bar codes have been around since 1989, the demand for the detailed information at a case/pack level they can provide is increasing. GS1-128 bar codes can hold more information through their use of more than 100 application identifiers, making them more useful when it comes to traceability. Companies can select and encode the information best suited to the particular product and the information requirements of retailers and food service customers.
This shift also introduces challenges, particularly with complying with the rigorous standards that come with GS1-128 bar codes. A white paper by Markem-Imaje, Rising Demand for Detailed Information at Case and Pack Level: Is the GS1-128 Bar Code on Course to Become the Preferred Standard for Retail Grocery and Foodservice Packaging? reveals an increased interest in traceability and supply chain optimization along with advances in technology, all of which is driving a shift in favor of GS1-128 bar codes.
The Need for Traceability
When it comes to food safety, traceability is becoming more important than ever on a global scale, with rising expectations from governments and consumers. Around the world, these expectations have turned into laws. In the U.S., Congress passed in 2010 the Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA) Food Safety Modernization Act, which requires everyone within the U.S. food supply chain be able to quickly trace from where they received each food product and to where they sent it. Established shortly thereafter, the Product Traceability Initiative (PTI) recommended using standards such as Global Trade Item Numbers (GTINs) and GS1-128 to identify and track product.
Food fraud, which is estimated to cost billions each year, is another area where traceability is important. Guaranteeing traceability for every product with the GS1-128 standard may help address the increase of criminal activity in the food industry.
Because the internet has allowed end consumers to bargain shop, it’s important for companies to produce products that are cost competitive. However, because GTINs can be re-assigned every four years while products can live on the internet indefinitely, there can easily be a mismatch between a product and its GTIN. To solve this issue for both buyers and sellers, GS1-128 bar codes encoded with GTIN and serialization application identifiers can ensure the correct product is being bought and sold.
At the point of distribution, pallet splitting—when distribution centers take individual cases or packs of products from larger, item-specific pallets to create new, multi-item pallets that are sent to stores—can cause issues. Pallet splitting has positives—for instance, less space is needed for inventory and product freshness is enhanced—but it also has the potential to increase labor costs as well the chance of human error on traceability recordkeeping. Sufficiently labeled cases and packs can help. In addition, insufficient case- or pack-level labeling causes the traceability chain to break, which is problematic in the event a recall occurs.
Complying with GS1-128
Markem-Imaje offers five steps to complying with the GS1-128 standard:
- Understanding the key requirements: The two things critical to GS1-128 compliance are quality and placement. GS1-128 bar codes require a higher resolution and greater degree of contrast between the print and packaging material. Whether a bar code is printed directly onto a case or onto a label which is then affixed to a case, printing on two sides is recommended as a way to improve the chances that at least one code is readable
- Selecting appropriate packaging material: Because of resolution and contrast requirements, manufacturers should take extra caution. Markem-Imaje offers three feasible options: printing first onto a label, which is then applied to a case; printing a white area onto a brown case and then printing the bar code in that white area; and printing directly on a white or very lightly colored outer case with a mean reflectance of 54 percent
- Pick the right printing solutions to match the packaging material: Either a print-and-apply label system (“the most prevalent”) or an inkjet printer for direct-case coding can be used
- Ensure you use GS1-128-compliant printer and software solutions: “In an environment which places more importance than ever before on having accurate, detailed information across entire supplier ranges, effective data management and control is paramount,” Markem-Imaje notes. A solution which is stated as GS1-128 compliant and works end to end can minimize problems during bar code creation and down the road
- Use experienced suppliers with fully integrated, proven solutions: While obvious, companies seeking GS1-128 compliance should partner with suppliers who can demonstrate experience and who are not reliant on a number of third-party vendors
Future of Bar Codes
Although GS1-128 bar codes have been available for some time, it is only recently that there has been a notable shift in their use, thanks to interest in traceability, supply chain optimization and advances in technology. Companies looking to make the move can reap the advantages, but should equip themselves to overcome the challenges along the way.
When it comes to food safety, traceability is becoming more important than ever on a global scale, with rising expectations from governments and consumers. Around the world, these expectations have turned into laws.
“Forward-thinking manufacturers would be wise to begin considering how to adapt their operations now before they get caught off guard when recommendations from ‘some’ retailers and foodservice companies for GS1-128 bar codes become requirements from everyone,” Markem-Imaje concludes.
Markem-Imaje is a manufacturer of product identification and traceability solutions, offering a full line of reliable and innovative inkjet, thermal transfer, laser and print-and-apply label systems that enable product quality and safety, regulatory and retailer compliance, better product recalls and improved manufacturing processes.
Markem-Imaje solutions to challenges outlined in this article include its 5000 Series and 2200 Series printers and CoLOS end-to-end software.