About GS1 Standards
The GS1 standards are designed to help you identify, capture and share information with your trading partners – wherever you are in the world. Our standards are the global language of business.
Why use GS1 standards?
Well-designed standards are the foundation for clear, understandable exchanges between trading partners. By using them, you can keep costs down and reduce complexity in your supply chain.
The GS1 standards are:
Global – no matter where you operate, the GS1 standards will work
Robust – they are purpose-built by industry, for industry
Multi-sector – they work within any organisation or business, and are widely adopted across different sectors
User-generated – they are built and maintained through a global, collaborative forum of volunteers from all industries
Scalable – they can be used by small businesses or multinationals
New! GS1 General Specifications v24.0 released- What you need to know
There were many updates in the General Specifications this year. Most of the updates are from the 2D in Retail and the GTIN Modernisation Mission Specific Work Groups (MSWG). Read more below.
2D in Retail
Human Readable Interpretation, Multiple Barcode Management and Symbol Placement – Grouped Human Readable rules into 5 subsections - HRI placement, Font and Legibility, URL, Data Titles and Logistics labels. Added HRI rules for multiple barcodes and single barcodes that will cross Point of Sale with lots of examples to aid readers to understand the rules.
Barcode Placement - Guidance added for symbol placement to cover transition period when a 2D barcode needs to be in addition to a linear barcode.
Multiple Barcode Management - Added rules to reinstate that all GS1 data carriers on a single trade item SHALL encode the same GTIN and if there are attributes on multiple barcodes their values SHALL be the same.
Consistent Terminology for 2D - Aligned terminology to ‘2D barcodes’ in appropriate sections to ‘2D barcodes’ as there were different iterations of the same terminologies being used such as 2D Matrix barcodes, 2D symbols etc.
GTIN Modernization
Non-new - New application standard developed for Identification of non-new trade items which clearly indicates the rules when identifying a non-new trade item.
New AI’s
Digital Signature AI(8030) – GS1 supports ISO/IEC 20248 with a new AI and Application Standard, to enable its use with GS1 identification keys encoded to data carriers on physical entities, so that the identified entity’s authenticity can be verified independently by consumers in both online and offline environments.
AIDC Media Type AI(7241) and Version Control Number AI(7242) – These AIs address the Healthcare industry’s need for managing patient identity and facilitating patient safety.
AIDC Media Type enables distinction between objects which display or carry GS1 barcodes/data carriers that identify the same service relationships, such as patient wristbands, sample tube, test report etc. Code list for this is collectively managed by ICCBBA (International Council for Commonality in Blood Banking Automation) and GS1.
Version Control Number is to facilitate version control processes, predominantly within healthcare e.g., enables distinction between different versions of the same patient wristband, but could also be applicable to other Service Relationships.
S4T Temperature Requirements - 4 new Application Identifiers
Logistics service providers need to encode and retrieve maximum and minimum temperatures for freight.
AI(4330) - Maximum temperature in Fahrenheit
AI(4331) - Maximum temperature in Celsius
AI(4332) - Minimum temperature in Fahrenheit
AI(4333) - Minimum temperature in Celsius
General Specifications Release 24.0
How we create standards
Around the world, GS1 works together with industry to maintain and create the GS1 system.
GS1 system brochure
Read about how businesses use the GS1 system and basic facts about numbering and barcoding.