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GS1 system is used by both manufacturers and retailers all over the world with the GS1 barcodes recording over 10 billion scans per day on a global scale.
You can trust that GS1 barcode numbers issued by an authorised GS1 member organisation are unique, accurate, and based on current global standards.
In Singapore, GS1 Singapore has the sole mandate to administer the GS1 system and is the only authorised source for GS1 barcode numbers and standards.
GS1 barcode numbers allocated to companies by GS1 Singapore begin with the prefix “888”. Only GS1 Singapore is authorised to provide GS1 barcode numbers with this prefix.
Be aware that when you obtain your GS1 barcode numbers from an unauthorised source, you will incur massive unnecessary expenses on relabelling and repackaging of your products, when your products are rejected by your retailers and e-marketplaces due to unauthorised barcode numbers. In the case of healthcare sector, re-labelling can have further unintended consequences such as the obligation to submit the packaging for new regulatory approvals.
If a product needs to be re-labelled and this causes delays in shipment and also result in lost sales. This is true in environments where there are active competitors as well as in situations where a new item is being introduced for a new, niche market. If a product is being introduced to meet a growing need that has yet to be met, delays could give potential competition the opportunity to enter the marketplace; not only resulting in lost sales, but also allowing a competitor to be the “first to market.”
Any discrepancy or issue to be resolved requires additional time and effort that cannot be used to more value adding activities. When deadlines for production and delivery are tight, delays in printing/packaging can be extremely difficult and time consuming to resolve.
Establishing a new relationship between trading partners can be very difficult and fragile. If the product does make it into the supply chain and a collision of numbers occurs, the trading partner may need to make updates to their systems and possibly accept a return of a mislabelled product. These issues could jeopardise the trading partnership.
The most common issues in marketplaces are linked to GTINs copied from a company which has legitimate rights to that GTIN. A legitimate Brand Owner may not list its product because another company has already used the Brand Owner’s legitimate GTIN to list a different product. Certain Marketplaces are beginning to mandate the use of GS1 product identifiers and are looking to validate their product catalogues against the GS1 databases and catalogues.
Users of Unauthorised barcode number may not realise that there is an intangible cost of by passing GS1 and using Unauthorised Barcodes. In order for them to take advantage of all GS1 services, they would need to use GS1 keys. These services include: training, support, product catalogue, business matching platform and more. The inability to utilise these services may drive the user of an unauthorised barcode number to seek an actual GS1 key issued in accordance with the GS1 Standards.
You can ONLY get unique, authorised GS1 barcode numbers from any GS1 member organisation around the world. If you’re in Singapore, you can get GS1 barcode numbers from GS1 Singapore.
GS1 members either selling or transferring company prefixes to other companies or organisations as GTINS;
Any company or organisation using GS1 prefixes that is not issued by GS1, counterfeit GS1 prefixes or GS1 prefixes issued to other GS1 members;
GS1 Singapore has joined forces with 116 GS1 offices around the globe together with major sellers and buyers from Singapore and overseas to combat the unauthorised use of GS1 barcodes. We conduct regular market surveillance on trade items for verification and authenticity. Any organisation caught using unauthorised barcode numbers is subject to face legal actions from GS1.
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Hi I'm GS1 Bot and i can answer some common questions about....