GPC is like a universal language that helps businesses around the world recognise and organise products. This system is used by manufacturers, suppliers, retailers, and online stores to make it easier to find products, share information, manage stock, and analyse markets.
Why should brands use GPC?
Adopting GPC brings significant value to brands by ensuring products are classified in a globally recognised, standardised way. This not only improves the accuracy of product data shared across the supply chain but also simplifies processes such as inventory management, sales analysis, and product discovery—making it easier for trading partners and consumers to find your products. Using the GPC also supports compliance with retailer and marketplace requirements, helping your products reach a wider audience and reducing the risk of misclassification or listing errors.
Furthermore, assigning the correct GPC is essential for listing your products on Verified by GS1, the global platform for trusted product data. Without a valid GPC Brick code, your products cannot be made searchable on Verified by GS1, which may limit your brand’s visibility and growth opportunities.
Do I need to allocate GPCs to my products?
In My Numberbank, we have added a field for you to record GPCs against your different products. GPC is also a useful way for you to categorise your products in a globally standardised way. Whilst it isn’t a mandatory field, if you wish to have your product searchable on Verified by GS1 (VbG), you will need to add an appropriate GPC brick against the GTIN.
Other places where GPC is used includes sharing product data on the Global Data Synchronisation Network (GDSN) and also some UK retailers classify their suppliers products using GPC.
How does GPC work?
GPC is a rules-based, four-tier system for classifying products into Segment, Family, Class, and Brick. A Brick groups products with common purposes, similar forms, materials, and shared category attributes.
Allocating a GPC
You are able to search for GPCs with the GS1 UK My Numberbank.
There is also a handy GPC browser on our Global Office website which enables you to search using different terms.
Can't find a suitable GPC?
If you can’t find an appropriate GPC Brick that closely matches your product, you can use the brick code 99999999 as a temporary holding value. This brick serves as a temporary holding place for products, which cannot currently be classified.
If you do use the temporary code, we encourage you to get in touch with GS1 UK so that we can submit a request for a new and more appropriate code to be created, which you should migrate to as on as it is available.