OPINION
Meeting the
need traceability
with DataBar
Mark Beauchamp, European marketing manager for Citizen Systems Europe,
discusses how the latest barcode labelling technology can help resellers offer
a cost effective solution for traceability-critical applications.
mproving traceability is a top unable to carry the level of product on a much smaller label, or The ability to add information
I
priority for many of today’s specific information now needed. considerably more information such as packing date or batch
manufacturers, distributors and One solution to the problem, on a similarly sized label. The number to a product at any stage
retailers. The ability to access which is to be rolled out as early former is ideal for labelling small, of the supply chain improves the
detailed product information, as January 2010, is GS1 DataBa. irregularly shaped items such as efficiency of traceability processes
such as location of origin or batch fruit and vegetables. This makes it significantly. If the retailer suspects
number, can save businesses simple for retailers to keep stock that there may be a problem with
millions of pounds and safeguard
New generation
of which items are being sold, and a particular item, they can quickly
consumer trust. For this reason, differentiate between varieties of and easily scan similar products to
all kinds of FMCG companies are DataBar is a new generation of produce. The larger labels come find out if they originated from the
looking to resellers to provide barcode technology that can into their own on items such as same batch or producer, allowing
them with the technology to either carry the same amount of pre-packed meat products, and them to recall a relatively small
make this process fast, simple information as a standard barcode larger batches of goods. number of suspected products
and cost effective. rather than taking
thousands of
RFID is often touted as the products off
solution to these traceability the shelves at
issues, but in reality the cost of considerable
applying an RFID tag is simply expense.
not viable in many cases. For
instance, while RFID tags are ideal In instances of
for tracking large return-to-base a possible
plastic shippers, applying a tag product defect
to the smaller cardboard boxes or contamination,
inside or the individual products consumers typically
themselves is rarely cost effective. look to the retailer
Add to that the problems with for answers. By
recycling tagged items or card - proving to their
board boxes and an alternative is customers that
clearly needed. So what is the effective measures
alternative? While inexpensive and have been taken
simple to produce and apply, the to protect their
current EAN/UPC barcodes are safety, retailers >>
40 IT RESELLER – FEBRUARY/MARCH 2009
www.itrportal.com
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