The GTIN – the number behind the barcode – was developed 50 years ago and transformed the global economy
New Delhi, 19th April 2021 – Fifty years ago, on 31 March 1971, leaders from the biggest names in commerce came together and transformed the global economy forever by developing the Global Trade Item Number (known as the “GTIN”). This numerical code uniquely identifies every single product and is the core of the barcode, the most important supply chain standard in history. Today, the barcode is scanned over six billion times every day and remains one of the most trusted symbols in the world.
The 1971 historic meeting took place in New York City and included leaders from the biggest names in groceries, retail and consumer goods at the time, including Heinz, General Mills, Kroger and Bristol Meyer. The executives agreed to create a system to uniquely identify every single product, calling it the Global Trade Item Number, or GTIN. With great foresight, they believed that the GTIN could have a positive impact even beyond the grocery store – from warehouses to boardrooms – and would boost speed and efficiency of transactions and processes that could transform everything from supply chains to consumer experiences. And they agreed at the meeting to continue to innovate together to create a system that would benefit businesses and consumers alike. Decades later, the BBC named the resulting outcome one of “the 50 things that made the world economy
“This is one of the great, untold stories in the history of the modern economy. Half a century ago, fierce competitors came together, put aside their differences and remade global commerce for the better with the development of the GTIN, which in turn led directly to the creation of the barcode. As we celebrate this remarkable milestone, we call on businesses to collaborate once again to meet the needs of the 21st century economy by rapidly deploying and implementing new technologies, including data-rich, next-generation barcodes,” said Kathy Wengel, Executive Vice President & Chief Global Supply Chain Officer of Johnson & Johnson and Chair of GS1 Management Board.
Mr. S. Swaminathan, CEO, GS1 India stated “The 50th anniversary of the GTIN is a historic milestone in the journey of GS1. We have a long history with the retail industry and the ubiquitous beep of the scanning of a barcode at retail store checkouts is synonymous with the same. With the focus of the Indian Government to drive the economy on the path to achieve USD 5 trillion and empowering SME manufacturers under the Atmanirbhar Bharat program, we believe GS1 has a major role to play in the evolving ecosystem. Today GTINs have become a key enabler for manufacturers to list their products in Retail and online marketplaces. The use of GTIN helps retails and online marketplaces validate authorized ownership of product and this in turn inspires the confidence and trust of shoppers As India commemorates its 75th Independence this year, along with 25 years of operation of GS1 in India, we reaffirm our commitment to our mission to improve the efficiency, safety and visibility of supply chains across physical and digital channels through the use of global GS1 standards”
Mr. Swaminathan further added “The functionality and use of the barcodes have been evolving, beginning with unique identification of a product to the capture of more detailed product information linked to the barcode. The growth of Omni channel retail has seen the consumers seeking more product information, prior to the purchase. Developments happening in the transformation of the barcode from a pure product identification to encapsulating additional product information has enabled consumers make informed choices. As we move forward, we at GS1 India will continue to support the industry with innovations that address some of the key industry challenges.”
“From the visionary meetings of the founders of GS1 to the first scan at Marsh Supermarket, the early 1970s were enormously exciting and challenging. I am honoured to have been a part of something so beneficial to our world, seeing companies joining forces and allying for the common good. Now it is time for a new generation of industry leaders to come up with new forms of standards that will have the power to transform business for the next fifty years”, said Tom Brady, an engineer who developed and installed the scanner system used at Marsh Supermarket to scan the first barcode with GTIN in 1974.
Developments towards next generation barcodes (such as square barcodes like QR codes), which can hold vastly more information, should be used to empower consumers with trusted information and reshape global commerce for a new century. Their use, for example, can tell consumers if a product contains allergens, if it is organic, and information on its carbon footprint. Ultimately, this provides consumers with a greater level of trust and loyalty relating to the products they buy.
About GS1India - GS1 India is a neutral, not for profit, industry led Supply Chain Standards organisation setup by Ministry of Commerce and Industry along with CII, FICCI, ASSOCHAM, FIEO, IMC, APEDA, Spices Board, IIP and BIS. It is affiliated with GS1® a not for profit global standards organisation along with 115 other member organisations. We are best known for the barcode, named by the BBC as one of “the 50 things that made the world economy”. GS1 standards improve the efficiency, safety and visibility of supply chains across physical and digital channels in 25 industry sectors. GS1 standards provide a common language that allows businesses to identify, capture and share information in the same way across the globe. Find out more at www.gs1india.org.”
No comments:
Post a Comment