The way a product is presented, and in particular the appearance of the packaging, is the result of the work of many specialists who want to attract the consumer using various graphic effects. Since the barcode is one of the graphic elements of the packaging, attempts are made to design its dimensions and colors to match the rest of the packaging, often without taking into account the technical requirements of the GS1 specification. A barcode is much more than just a graphic element. It is a kind of “ID card” for every single product, acting as an access code to a database containing full information about the product, including its current price. Nowadays, it is impossible to imagine the operation of large shopping centers without automatic identification using GS1 system barcodes. It enables not only fast and error-free product scanning at the checkout and inventory control, but also the creation of reports and logistics planning, i.e., product management along the entire supply chain. The condition for the proper functioning of the entire system is the correctness of all its data, also at the level of each individual product, i.e., each individual barcode. A few years ago, not everyone understood what a barcode was and what it was for. Today, codes are not covered with price tags, companies maintain databases of sequentially assigned numbers, and correctly calculate check digits. However, there are still technical problems with the correct thickness of bars and spaces. Additionally, for some time now, there has been a tendency to lower and shrink codes.
The article comes from the magazine “Logistyka” 5/2006.