February 26, 2026 Industry news
What are the GS1 General Specifications
The GS1 General Specifications are the foundational GS1 standard, defining how identifiers, data attributes barcodes and more are used in business applications. Each year, the specifications are updated to ensure they remain clear, consistent and aligned with evolving business needs, regulation and technology.
In January 2026, version 26 of the GS1 General Specifications was published. This release focuses strongly on improving structure, clarity and access, making it easier for organisations to understand and apply GS1 standards correctly across sectors.
Here are some of the key updates relevant to UK members and partners.
Clearer structure and improved readability
A major change in Release 26 is a new document structure, designed to make the General Specifications more accessible to both new and experienced users.
For the first time, the document includes a dedicated preamble, bringing together introductory content that explains:
- Who GS1 is and what the GS1 system provides
- How the GS1 system architecture fits together
- How GS1 standards relate to regulation and other international standards
This allows the rest of the document to flow more logically, with a newly expanded Section 1 now dedicated specifically to the GS1 identification standard.
Overall, the changes aim to help readers build understanding gradually, before reaching more detailed technical requirements.
More transparent change management
Release 26 reinforces improvements to how changes to the General Specifications are communicated.
All General Specifications Change Notifications (GSCNs) are now published and maintained in a single, authoritative online location.
This will be the only place where GSCNs are managed from now on making it easier to track what has changed between releases and why.
Improved digital access to standards content
As part of wider efforts to make GS1 standards easier to use digitally, Release 26 continues the move beyond a single static PDF.
Members can access:
- the latest version of the General Specifications via a permanent URL
- an archive of historic versions
- an online, searchable list of GS1 Application Identifiers, available in multiple languages
- the GS1 glossary, providing a consistent set of defined terms across the GS1 system
These resources complement the full PDF and support more efficient navigation and use of the standards.
What this means for UK members
For UK organisations, version 26 does not introduce disruptive new rules. Instead, it makes the General Specifications easier to understand, easier to navigate and easier to keep up to date.
By familiarising themselves with the updated structure and online resources, members can:
- reduce the risk of misinterpreting GS1 rules
- improve internal training and onboarding
- stay aligned with global GS1 requirements as standards continue to evolve
Further resources
Help and support
If you require any help, get in touch with our GS1 UK support team for assistance.
