Bar code clinic shows way to avoid retailer penalties

A bar code clinic – equipped with the latest verification equipment – is being sponsored at the PPMA Show by three leading bar code technology organisations to give visitors a free health check on their own print-apply coding quality, avoiding risk of financial penalties from retailers.

Global bar code standards authority GS1 and verification specialist Axicon are joining forces with print-apply labelling machine manufacturer Logopak, and inviting visitors to bring examples of their own bar codes to the Logopak stand for a check.

“Just because a bar code scans correctly on the production line does not mean it will necessarily read correctly at every point in the distribution chain,” points out Logopak sales manager Howard Jagger. “Only proper verification to ISO standards will ensure that the code will perform in different supply chain conditions.”

Fines from retailers for codes that fail to read correctly can be heavy, Bob Stevenson of Axicon points out. “Pallet or case bar codes that fail to read cost retailers considerable time and effort, reflected in fines of over £500 per item from one major store. Problems are usually the result of failing to verify codes to ISO standards, which is demanded by most retailers.”

Jonathan Brown, UK solutions partner programme manager at GS1 – a not-for-profit organisation that develops bar code quality standards and allocates numbers – explains that bar code quality is an essential element in world-wide trading.

“GS1 has 25,000 members in the UK alone and aims to make it faster, cheaper and safer for its members to serve their customers through the development and deployment of open global standards.”

Telephone: 01904 692333

www.logopakprintandapply.co.uk

Stand F63