Globally, there is an increasing number of initiatives and activities regarding the implementation of GS1 DataBar codes – a new symbology that will be introduced for use in retail points of sale starting in 2010. GS1 DataBar codes will complement currently used barcodes, such as EAN-13, and their advantage is the significantly smaller amount of space they occupy.
This will enable standard identification of products that are currently quite difficult to encode or are not encoded at all – fresh fruits and vegetables, very small items, and variable-quantity retail goods.
Implementation in Canada
One of the largest retail chains, Loblaw, has taken steps to implement GS1 DataBar codes. The Loblaw chain sees significant benefits in implementing GS1 DataBar, such as:
• identification of loose fruits and vegetables,
• increased productivity at checkout counters,
• inventory reduction,
• category management,
• implementation of traceability goals.