Is Product Traceability Becoming a Need to Survive in the Global Supply Chain Market?

What is the Global Supply Chain?

Global supply chains (GSC) are the network chains spread across multiple continents and countries for sourcing and supplying trade items to minimize overall cost and increase customer satisfaction. They involve government bodies, legal and regulatory intermediaries, local traders, and political parties with the added complexity of different import and tariff duties, custom services, and fiscal systems.

How are they different from the domestic supply chain?

Contrary to the local or domestic supply chain, which has the parties within the national boundaries, the global supply chain has its suppliers, producers, distributors, and customers spread across the globe for cost-effective and responsive deliveries. Compared to the local supply chain, GSCs provide various benefits that include reduced price due to low labour and material cost, better opportunities for innovation, higher market share, better suppliers in the competitive market, and better quality of products and services.

What are the major challenges of GSC?

GSC comes with increased managerial difficulties. The involvement of foreign firms demands a higher degree of mutual coordination. In GSC, information flow, material handling, inventory management, warehouse management, and transportation become more complex because of wider geographic scope, international laws, different languages, higher lead time, different time zones, more number of supply chain partners, quality issues, environmental standards, and socioeconomic issues.

Besides, increased globalisation and competitiveness have changed the nature of customers. Today, they demand more transparency with fast and steady deliveries. This has created an environment of innovation and technological adaptation all over the world. Moreover, supply chains have started to charter deliveries of products which seemed impossible previously. Now, products with smaller shelf life are also being transported from one corner of the world to another. All this has forced GSCs to become more resilient by making smarter investments with organizations like GS1 India for better traceability. 

What is Product Traceability?

Product traceability is the ability to identify, track and trace the items or products throughout the supply chain. As the product moves from one trading partner to another, traceability system captures the information on What (is the product), When (at what time?), Who (With whom), Where (with which trading partner), and Why (why was it scanned?) about the product, and allows authorized users to securely access this information whenever they want.  Product traceability is an important tool to troubleshoot product or logistics-related problems. It offers continuous monitoring, quality control, waste minimisation, systematic information sharing, and increased transparency between different parties. Product traceability also ensures accurate records of product history, which can be used to eliminate internal and external non-value-adding activities. Internal traceability refers to tracing the product within the house. For example, keeping track of products during different stages of production activity or tracing the storage location within warehouse(s). External traceability helps to know where the product is currently located between various supply chain parties. For example, it will tell if the product is being shipped from India to the USA or is received by a warehouse in Texas. 

How GS1 India’s traceability services are contributing to GSC management?

With numerous advantages, the global marketplace also imposes many challenges on its supply chains, and organisations actively seeking support from global standards for tackling these issues. GS1 India is helping organisations to overcome these challenges that include longer delivery time, complexity in handling extensive product portfolio, difficulties in data gathering and drawing significant business insights, imposing security, loss of control over the supply chain, non-compliance with local norms by bringing supply chain visibility. GS1 organisations have gained trust worldwide in providing efficient product traceability services.

International Organisation for Standardization (ISO) has defined Traceability in the ISO 9001 standard, which also complies with the GS1 traceability standard. With its standards-based traceability services, GS1 India helps brand owners comply with governmental regulations, global quality certifications, social and environmental accreditations by keeping track of the product, raw materials, and processes it went through. Currently, all the leading organizations have either made traceability part of their system or working towards it. According to a news article published by Forbes in 2019, Subway has 98% of its products traceable using GS1 barcodes.

GS1 India’s traceability service provides infrastructure that enables MNCs to make data-driven decisions, taking competitive advantages, and building a sustainable business environment. By providing Global Trade Item Number (GTIN), GS1  helps you overcome barriers by ensuring a single code of universal product identification. The unique identification facilitates global chains to trace their products effortlessly. 

Few products such as drugs and medical ingredients are highly expensive. They need a temperature-controlled environment for shipment for which traceability is inevitable. GS1 India’s traceability service offer 24×7 visibility to troubleshoot issues with products and shipments.

With GS1 India’s traceability service, you can manage your business activities and logistics using its efficient dashboard management. You can check the required data in visual and other desirable formats using the cloud-based traceability platform.

Is Investment in RFID (Radio Frequency Identification) Justified Over Standard Barcodes?

Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) uses the electromagnetic field for data collection. The radio-based wireless technology is used in commercial and industrial applications to track, match items, or even identify individuals. The system can be divided into Tags & Readers. The reader emits radio waves and gets signals from the RFID tag to communicate its identity. These tags can tell a lot about the products ranging from their identity, source of origin and destination, transportation history, product specifications, order status, price, etc., based on what data is encrypted in a tag.

For more than a decade, RFID technology is making rounds in the industry think tanks. While many of us know what it is, its utilization is largely disregarded in the supply chain environment in favor of less expensive unique barcode labels. But in recent items, RFID has been gaining more importance in inventory management – ID badging, prevent pilferages, counterfeit prevention, etc. RFID is particularly useful in the case of high-value articles and sensitive products that require a high degree of safety, such as the food and healthcare sectors. Also, another use of RFID can be seen in high-tech stores having counterless checkouts, etc.

In today’s global supply chain environment, the question that most businesses ask themselves is between investing in the (RFID) or going the old school way using barcode labels.

To decide on this, it is pertinent to learn about the differences between RFID and barcodes.

So what is the difference between these two technologies:

RFID tags and barcodes present some degree of similarity in that both can store the unique number for an individual item that can be deciphered by a reader/scanner and uploaded to a database.

Barcode scanners use a beam of light to read the black and white pattern printed on the label/tag. On the other hand, RFID (Radio-Frequency Identification) chips transmits data to the readers through radio waves. This makes it possible to read even from a distance (say, up to 10 meters), reducing the Non-Value Time; be read within seconds; allow for a more flexible system design, and be used across a wide variety of formats.

Benefits of RFID:

With RFID, it is possible to scan multiple items at the same time, ensuring speedy and reliable tracking. Besides error-proof delivery, RFID facilitates cost saving through improved inventory management, labor reduction, minimized product handling, and advanced security.  Further, unlike a barcode, RFID technology does not require scanning under the light or inline scanning.

RFID is potentially capable of changing the way business is done. It pulls the supply chain towards intelligent automation and reduces the need for manpower. IBM consulting services, in association with Auto-ID center, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, has estimated a total labor-saving up to 36% in order picking warehousing operation and a 90% reduction in verification cost for the shipping process. They also estimate a 60-93% reduction in receiving check-in time with RFID technology. RFID can also track the motion of items in the assembly line. 

RFID technology ensures safety. It helps reach areas where humans fail to enter because of constraints such as limited space, vertical storage shelves, high temperatures, hazardous gases, etc. RFID can significantly replace human intervention in temperature-controlled supply chains by giving real-time data such as moisture content, temperature, etc., for sensitive or perishable products.

Among many advantages of RFID technology is the reusability of its tag. Besides, barcodes are used on products, and cannot be reused. However, RFID technology is not limited to objects. It can be used to detect humans and can help monitor their motions, temperature, etc. This can enhance labor safety.    

RFID is a boon in the modern business environment. With the increasing network complexity, it can increase product visibility in both storage and transit. RFID can turn an average-performing supply chain into an efficient one by keeping track of incoming and outgoing SKUs, reducing process cycle time, and enhancing scalability.

Benefits of Barcodes:

Bar codes are printed on labels and are cheaper to generate than RFID tags. Two-dimensional (2-D) bar codes, especially, can carry all the necessary data and are more than sufficient for manual scanning. One thing to consider is that bar codes are already being used in healthcare, so the infrastructure is currently in place.”

Conclusion:

It is thus clear to us that one needs to take their pick based on the goal and scale to be achieved. For example, smaller outfits such as grocery shops selling perishable goods tend to use barcodes, while manufacturing entities offering high-value items with large inventories may tend to prefer RFID for real-time information. Moving forward, we can expect that solutions will not necessarily be exclusively barcode or exclusively RFID, but rather a combination of various sensor and auto-ID technologies that best solve the business challenge.

Ensuring Safety in Food Supply Chain with GS1 India’s Traceability Service

In recent decades, the food industry has faced questions regarding the creditability of food, its source and ability to deliver consumables safely and in desired quality. The outbreak of foodborne diseases, bacteria, viruses has led to more stringent laws and regulations across the world, including those under the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006, by the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI).

The World Health Organization estimated that the percentage of the population suffering from foodborne diseases each year is up to 30% in industrialized countries. In addition, food scandals such as unhygienic delivery and fraudulent food preparations have raised concerns among consumers over the quality and safety of the delivery system. To integrate quality management into the supply chain network, quality assurance has become an essential need that can be met with effective traceability.  According to ISO 9000 (2005) standards, traceability is defined as ‘‘the ability to trace the history, application or location of that which is under consideration”.

Traceability, built on unique barcoding system is the ability of the system to identify, track and trace the products throughout the supply chain, with scan of barcodes. In the food supply chain, traceability has also turned into a tool for complying with legal requirements, besides consumer safety.  Also, it offers continuous monitoring, quality control, systematic information sharing, and increased transparency between different parties of the food chain.

Food supply chains deal with consumable products like meat, ice cream, dairy, fruits, vegetables, and finished products such as chocolates, packaged food items, etc., that are highly susceptible to quality degradation and their freshness needs to be maintained. These products have a variable shelf life, sensitive to storage and transportation conditions like temperature and humidity. Therefore, they require continuous monitoring to ensure the product meets standard quality requirements.

One of the biggest challenges of any food chain is the intermittent nature of the supply chain. It consists of various stages, each of which has to ensure the exact same product conditions until the product reaches the consumer. For example, the manufacturer has to ensure product delivery in the right conditions to third-party logistics (3PL) providers that maintain the desired controlled conditions throughout the shipment.

Though the operations involved in food chains are similar to any other supply chain, they are much more complex because of their multiple controlling parameters.  Clerical and administrative tasks may slow down the supply chain and affect product quality drastically. Hence, product tracking & tracing, and automation of supply chain are essential to make the entire process faster and flexible. 

GS1 standards have already proven effective in managing food chains by providing cost-effective and fast quality management solutions through its traceability services.  They assist in continuous monitoring, auditing, and compliance to quality standards. They allow backtracking and forward tracking to get into the product history and predict the future delivery issues. Barcodes ensure unique identification of products through Global Trade Identification Numbers (GTIN), which is essential for establishing efficient tracing and recall in case of a breach in safety and quality standards.

Many leading organizations in the food and pharmaceutical industry are already using GS1 standards-based traceability solutions.  High transparency, mobility, cost-effectiveness, effortless tracing has revolutionized food chains using GS1 traceability standards. 

Securing Supply Chain for COVID-19 Vaccine

Worldwide demand for vaccine production has escalated exponentially since the vaccines for the ongoing coronavirus pandemic were developed. Multiple stakeholders including government and private organisations, NGOs, healthcare institutions, pharmaceutical companies, and more have come together to supply vaccines to the population. However, the global demand is extremely high and with the need for speedy and large-scale production and administration of vaccines, countries are facing the challenge of securely procuring, storing, and transporting the vaccine to thousands of healthcare facilities.

The two COVID-19 vaccines primarily being administered in India right now are Covishield and Covaxin, and both need to be taken in two doses. The time interval between the two doses varies for both vaccines. A third vaccine, Sputnik, has recently been introduced as well. The logistical complications of safely storing and distributing these vaccines are many, and a system that can identify each unique consignment supplied through various channels is the need of the hour.

Tracking vaccine movement accurately, creating end-to-end visibility at each stage of the supply chain and diligent record-keeping is important as it will help manufacturers and distributors keep track of their consignments in the supply chain. Keeping consistent records will be a great help to all key stakeholders in the vaccine supply chain, from distribution partners to healthcare workers.

To enable this, a standardised process to identify and track vaccines in the supply chain is required because every single consignment of vaccines changes many hands before reaching its final customer/patient, i.e., an individual to whom the dose will be administered. With each new stage of the supply chain, there is a new level of complexity that is added. In the past, vaccines have lost in transit, substandard product entered into the chain, or consignments reaching their destination with damaged or expired vials of the vaccine.

The present high vaccine demand and low supply offers a fertile ground for vaccine counterfeiters to try and make a quick profit. Several fakes have been identified, and even fake versions of drugs like Remdesivir have been found. Present circumstances are such that vaccines are not just prescribed to young children for illnesses that have already been eradicated – the coronavirus vaccines are one of the most important resources in the world right now. This makes the need for a clear supply chain that is traceable from the point of origin to the final stage in the process, an urgent and crucial one.

Manufacturers or importers of vaccines should take the necessary steps to ensure that product labels carry standardised markings and utilise an end-to-end traceability system. Each record should also have key information like the batch number and expiry date, to enable validation of vaccines.

UNICEF has suggested a specification for a minimum basic traceability system to support countries avoid counterfeit or falsified medicines. Barcoding is vital in maintaining traceability, as each barcode is unique and can be identified as such. Unique identification encoded in barcodes is recommended by WHO on all levels of vaccine packaging used for transit by manufacturers, except for the primary packaging of the product. A system that can lend ease and convenience to the tracking process, such as simply scanning a barcode, is very much required. It can facilitate efficient tracking of data and provides visibility in the supply chain so that recalling a consignment, for any reason, can be made easily.

GS1 India offers traceability service that meets global requirements, such as UNICEF standards, and has a host of benefits:

  • It can help validate product barcodes, detect fraudulent consignments of vaccines and protect brand image and identity
  • Provides accurate product information and control over product movement
  • Batches in the supply chain can be efficiently tracked
  • Helps reduce operational costs over an extended period of time
  • Manual errors are eliminated and operations can run smoothly
  • Provides better expiry management with First-In, First-Out (FIFO) system
  • Identifies when stocks are low and need to be replenished
  • Provides data insights to gain a better understanding of on-ground problems with the supply chain

Traceability, in the case of vaccines especially, is vital to ensure transparency across the supply chain and to ensure that the end consumers are safe. An end-to-end vaccine traceability helps perform recalls efficiently as and when required, from any stage of the supply chain.

Public Procurement’ to carry barcoding at the primary package level in 2019

With the production of vaccines constantly being accelerated to be able to keep up with global demands, traceability of vaccines and the capability for healthcare stakeholders to validate them at the point of administration is a pressing need. To enable this, each vaccine must be labelled with a 2D barcode and equipped with standardised information capture so as to fast-track logistical processes and track vaccines accurately no matter how far from the point of origin they have to be transported. Covert or forensic technologies can also be introduced on product packaging to add an extra layer of increased security to safeguard important resource from counterfeiters and fraudsters.

Is It Possible to Launch Products Without a Barcode?

In recent decades, barcodes have been leveraged in both the brick-and-mortar and e-commerce industries. Barcode encodes a unique identification number, which is issued and maintained by GS1, a global supply chain standards organization present in 115 countries globally. With Global Trade Identity Number (GTIN), GS1 provides unique product identification that brings efficiency in various supply chain and retail processes.

Barcoding is a fundamental building block for creating an infrastructure that is used across various supply chain, be it warehouse management, quality control, or product tracking till it reaches the final customer. With GTIN becoming a need with the evolving e-commerce system, the database that it creates has upsurged data analytics for gaining business insights. Listing the product with barcode number on ecommerce website or any other marketplaces makes the process much more convenient. 

However, if you don’t have a barcode, can you still launch your product in market? Yes, of course. In this post, we have addressed this question, which has gained prominent traction, especially from local manufacturers selling handicrafts, artifacts, and homemade products, who think barcoding costs is significantly higher owning to their low business turnover.

The necessity of GTINs depends upon the product category. Though many products can be sold through ecommerce platforms without GTINs, there are few categories for which GTINs are mandatory.  Big marketplaces such as Amazon, Flipkart ask for GTIN to list your product on their platform; however, if you do not have it, they also provide an alternative for launching your products.  While it is possible to launch your product without a barcode, the alternatives depend upon the product category and the associated brand. Let us have a look at how you can launch your product without a barcode.

  • If the Product category is already listed on Amazon: If the category for your product already exists on their site, you don’t require a GTIN to launch your product. You can link your product with Amazon Standard Identification Number (ASIN) by using it as your product ID..

ASIN is a unique identity given by Amazon to almost all the products listed on Amazon for its identification.

  • If the product category does not exist: If your product does not fit into the existing categories, you can apply for an GTIN (EAN/UPC) exemption through their seller central login page. This is ideal when your product is homemade and non-branded and if you are selling products or a combination of products (Bundles) having no GTINs (barcode number). GTIN exemption can be done with and without a brand registry. Having a brand registry does not give you GTIN exemption but having GTIN exemption can allow you to launch your product without a brand registry. You will be required to choose a product category and name the brand for your product. Further, you will need to produce a brand support letter authorizing your product and confirmation that it does not have a GTIN. GTIN (EAN/UPC) exemption does not offer a lifetime of validity for your product to be listed on the platform, and you have to reapply for it after every month. The process of GTIN (EAN/UPC) exemption itself is very slow, and you can expect a request completion time of 30 days.

Hence, to save yourself from these hassles, it is recommended for every entrepreneur or potential entrepreneur/business while launching their products should have GTINs in place as it saves companies money while improving quality, on-time performance, and other key business factors.

Prevent Incorrect Product Data with DataKart

Product data management can be a huge problem for manufacturers and resellers. It involves capturing and regularly updating the product data in their systems as well as sharing updates and information with their buyers. In today’s competitive world, the stakes are very high and there is no room for error in product delivery across the different stages of the supply chain. At the same time, the amount of data ingested via various business systems such as order management systems, POS systems, warehouse management systems, etc., is immense. The use of legacy software such as Excel is not optimal for managing such voluminous data and frequent changes that need to be updated and shared, leading to many versions of excel files being created with multiple stakeholders.

Most stakeholders in the supply chain realize the challenges and importance of data management. However, despite this knowledge, they are unable to formulate a data management strategy that ensures efficiency and promotes accuracy. 

The Reasons for Product Data Errors

The present-day brand owners, retailers, and aggregators are unable to manage data efficiently at various stages, leading to incorrect product data residing in various disparate systems. Below are some fundamental reasons that instigate bad data management:

  • Rising complexity and frequent changes in product data
  • Mismanagement of barcode numbers
  • Lack of structure and standardization of data
  • Lack of data collaboration in real-time

When errors start creeping in, they start impacting the performance. Moreover, the trust amongst different stakeholders is also impacted. When the trust is compromised, the entire business relationship falls apart. On the contrary, if these errors can be checked by maintaining a centralized repository for master data, this situation can be avoided completely.  

 

The Value of Common Data Management Platform

Majorpart of the problem lies in the fact that retailer or marketplace has to manage data for thousands of products from hundreds of suppliers, big and small alike, in a uniform format, despite the same being supplied in multiple formats. Not only this, at times, retailers also depend on crowd sourced information on the products. This is exactly where DataKart comes into the picture.

 

DataKart is a solution that intuitively fits into the vision of most manufacturers and retailers. For a retailer, it means no capital investment on an elaborate software development project. For manufacturers, it means the information it wants to convey will be communicated without any errors or mistakes, and more importantly, in real-time. It just takes a few clicks in sharing product information with multiple retailers/e-tailers in their native format.

 

GS1 India’s DataKart is a centralized repository that stores attributes of products sold in the Indian market. These attributes include information on but are not limited to – product variant, MRP, size, and weight, dimensions, product name, images, etc. 

 

One of the major USPs of DataKart is how it fits into the scheme of things. A manufacturer always wants his new products launches to be visible to every retailer. Earlier, this used to take weeks through the distributor network and they mostly had to depend on ads in media to popularise their new launches. However, the same could be done within a few clicks with DataKart. Also, the manufacturer is assured that every aspect of data is conveyed in the intended format without any errors. There could be absolutely no ambiguity or doubts about the information that is communicated.

 

In the same way, the retailer receiving the data has absolutely no doubt about the veracity of information it has received since the information is directly populated by brand owners and not received through distributors and wholesalers. . All you have to do is share information with multiple buyers, in their respective formats, at the click of few buttons.

EAN 13 – The Barcode Number

European Article numbering code (EAN) is a series of numbers in a unique order that helps identify specific products and is used to list products for retail businesses.

An EAN-13 barcode (originally European Article Number), but now renamed GTIN (Global Trade Item Number) even though the abbreviation EAN has been still used by retailers) is a 13 digit (12 data and 1 check) barcoding standard. The EAN-13 barcode is used worldwide for marking products often sold at retail points of sale. The numbers encoded in EAN-13 bar codes are product identification numbers.

What is GTIN?

GTIN (Global Trade Item Number) is a system developed by the GS1 and is an internationally recognized system for identifying products. It is a blanket term to describe various GS1 numbering codes – UPC and EAN. It is, hence, safe to term an EAN-13 code as a GTIN-13. GTIN provides the global supply chain solution for the identification of any item that is traded (priced, ordered, and invoiced)..

GTIN includes four types of codes:

UPC-12:               The twelve-digit code that North America uses.

EAN-8:                The eight-digit code used on smaller retail trade items.

EAN-13:               The thirteen-digit code for all other countries.

GTIN-14:              The fourteen-digit number used on general distribution trade items, not intended to be sold at the Point-of-Sale.

To create a GTIN, a company needs to be in possession of a GS1 company prefix. The assigned company prefix forms the base for the creation of all GS1 identifiers like GLN, GTIN, and SSCC numbers.

Why EAN-13 barcode?

The advent of the EAN-13 barcode is a data structure stepping-stone toward the supply chain control. It is used in global trade to distinguish the product type, specification, etc. In other words, it helps the product be uniquely identified. It is a numeric-only bar code system used for the identification of retail products. Unique numbers are allocated to each separate retail product, not just by product brand but by unique numbers. This assists in positing the products with retailers and e-commerce companies. It facilitates a future where intelligent workflows will fuel data-driven smart supply chains.

The future smarter supply chains continue to not just embrace automation with the help of the EAN -13 barcode, but also use AI to make processes more efficient, responsive, and adaptive. Most importantly the visibility and traceability solutions in the supply chain have gained momentum, these are the “twin engines of sustainable” supply chain.

The EAN-13 barcode has withstood the test of time because it continues to serve a key role in the evolving digital future of retail where the product is identified uniquely and the data it captures will shape decisions affecting customers and retailers.

Components of an EAN-13 barcode number

The first three digits of the EAN-13 serve as the GS1 Prefix. The GS1 prefix usually identifies the GS1 Member Organization which the manufacturer has joined.

The Manufacturer Code is a unique code assigned to each manufacturer by the numbering authority and all products made by a certain company use the same manufacturer code. The product code is a unique code assigned solely by the manufacturer.

The check digit is the last number used to confirm if a bar code was scanned correctly. This additional number is mathematically determined through an algebraic equation to create a checksum.

Barcodes revolutionising the world

Barcode is worldwide used; its popularity can be attested by its use in all parts of our life. A barcode reader is an optical machine-readable representation of data relating to the object to which it is attached.

The EAN-13 barcodes are used worldwide for marking products often sold at retail points of sale. The numbers encoded in EAN-13 bar codes are product identification numbers. All the numbers encoded in UPC and EAN barcodes are known as Global Trade Item Numbers (GTIN), and they can be encoded in other GS1 barcodes.

EAN-13 is popular, recognizable, and useful for general day-to-day retail transactions since it can be read by any barcode reader. The check number also helps ensure accuracy when entering the code by hand. It combines numbers together mathematically in a certain way to get a specific, one-digit outcome. If the check digit does not match that outcome, then the code has been entered incorrectly.

Additional benefits

Barcode numbers play a crucial role in supply chains, including selling products over the counter and listing them on e-commerce websites. Various national and international regulatory bodies have endorsed the use of GS1 barcodes on products. The use of GS1 barcode numbers (GTINs) helps you in complying with various requirements, including those of the Ministry of Consumer Affairs, DGFT, US FDA, Ministry of Health & Family Welfare, Delhi Excise EU Regulations on UDI, and more. GS1 barcode numbers on your products enable you to list your products faster with leading retailers and online shopping portals. GS1 barcode numbers, when used on a product webpage, show a 40% improvement in search results. GS1’s DataKart service enables free and easy barcode number management and the generation of barcode images

Why buy from GS1 India

  • GS1 India is the only authorised body in India to issue GS1 barcode numbers.
  • If your label your products with authentic GS1 barcodes (bought from GS1 India), your products will be visible through various GS1 repositories, including Verified by GS1, GEPIR, GS1 DataKart, etc.
  • You will get access to GS1 DataKart, the national repository of product information for retail items.
  • Your product information would be visible to consumers through Smart Consumer mobile app, wich is accessed by millions of consumers
  • You would get implementation assistance at every step of the process
  • You would get assistance in uploading information on your old products to DataKart
  • You would get complementary access to an imaging app, to click retail-ready photos of your products using your phone.

The Future

For the last 20 years, barcode technology has been the bastion of bigger businesses that adopted the technology to massively reduce human errors and increase efficiency in business operations.

Today, barcodes are completely integrated into mainstream life—nearly every product in a grocery, department, or mass merchandise store bears a barcode. It’s clear that this technology works, and will continue to do so.

If you already understand the needs of your partners and customers, choosing how to serve those needs most efficiently is where GS1 India can help.

All you need to do is connect with GS1 India team to learn more about how GS1 standards can support your needs. As it continues to provide leadership, guidance, and support for on-pack solutions that allow businesses to adapt and scale over time, aligning with GS1 India will offer you a plethora of tools and abundant globally aligned guidance to help your business along this journey.

Reach out to see how GS1 India can help.

How DataKart is Revolutionising Product Data Exchange Across Sectors

What is DataKart?

DataKart is a cloud-based online service from GS1 India.  GS1 India has launched DataKart service, a repository of retailed products, which has been developed based on industry needs for a single source of trusted, reliable and accurate information on products sold through retail stores and online shopping portals. It empowers users to make decisions based on the complete product information, which is mostly more than what is published on product labels.

DataKart is the national source of information on Indian retailed products with details of each attribute (ingredients, product images, MRP, net content, dimensions, etc.).  It enables brand owners to capture product information in an accurate, trusted, and updated manner, besides sharing the same with retailers in a consistent, structured, and standardised manner, in real time.

Why DataKart?

DataKart helps brand owners by enabling sharing of their products’ information with multiple retailers and online marketplaces in one go, in their respective native formats. Real-time product updates received through DataKart helps retailers and online marketplaces to keep the information updated at all times. This leads to huge savings in terms of time and resources and increased sales by reducing fill rate losses.

The retail sector would greatly benefit through better fill rates, on-shelf product availability, lesser mismatches between purchase orders and supplies receipts, faster product listings, new product introductions, better visual merchandising on retail shelves and consequent higher sales. DataKart helps resolve these issues.

DataKart benefits overeview

  • Product Catalogue Management: It includes 20 variables including but not limited to brand name, product category and description, net and gross weight, FSSAI License Number, MRP, product images, shelf life, and more;
  • Helping Retailers and Marketplaces: Seamless sharing of product data among brand owners and retailers / online marketplaces in native formats and templates for individual retailers. This can also be configured with their ERPs upon request
  • Generate and print barcode labels: Barcodes for labels can be generated and printed for products, cartons, and pallets;
  • Analytics: Generates detailed analytics reports with graphs, itemised lists, mapping, and more. Some of the reports DataKart generates include which retailer has viewed their product information/acted upon it, how many of their product information change notification is viewed, by whom all, etc.

DataKart – Holistic answer to product data challenges in retailing

DataKart would facilitate seamless mapping of harmonised system code of any product. Receiving product information through DataKart has enabled retailers to remove the dependency on third-party crowd sourced information. It helps them gain access to all the information on their products at a centralised location.   Retailers and online marketplaces using DataKart have also observed benefits of reduced time and enhanced efficiency in managing master data updates and listing new product introductions.

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