Driving down cost and ensuring product safety is dominant in any company’s strategy to survive in an ever competitive marketplace. Retailers and supermarkets have invested in systems and end-to-end use of the GS1 System to improve lead times, react immediately to product recalls and reduce costs. The foodservice market on the other hand has only recently discovered the improvements the GS1 System can provide to users that assist them meet legislation and deliver a service more informed and reactive to their consumers.

The GS1 System ensures that raw materials and finished goods can be uniquely identified, tracked and traced anywhere in the supply chain, literally from the farm to the fork.

Supply chain management is about improving the profitability and efficiency of an organisation by optimising the speed and accuracy of capturing information and streamlining processes between trading partners. This includes warehousing, materials management and manufacturing, inventory management, distribution, transport and customer service. The GS1 System focuses on maximising success in these areas by providing a standard way of defining what information is going to be exchanged.

By mass adoption of GS1 standards in the supply chain, all trading partners can realise the benefits that have revolutionised the supply chains of the retail sector.

Benefits of GS1 standards in foodservice include:

• Unique item identification
• Timely management information
• Lower operating costs through lower stock-holdings, less waste and inventory control
• Fast and accurate data capture
• Ability to automate warehousing
• Better control over distribution and storage
• Fewer errors in the recognition of goods
• One standard language used
• Track and trace to enable accurate product recalls

Achieving a more efficient and responsive foodservice supply chain and start realising the money and time saving benefits to help you grow your business.

GS1 UK is also working with a number of companies and associations to help improve supply chain operational efficiencies and have formed the GS1 UK Foodservice Interest Group.  To find out more click here.

For more information please contact the GS1 UK Service Team on Freefone 0808 178 8799.