GS1 is a neutral, not-for-profit standards organisation that helps companies in different industrial sectors do business across the World. The Organisation’s scale and reach through local Member Organisations in 116 countries, developing standards for over two million companies benefiting from such standards, ensures that globally GS1 standards have rapidly become the benchmark to doing business in over 25 industries in more than 150 countries. GS1 standards help ensure that there is a common language of business across the globe. The local office, known as GS1 Malta was set up in 1992, and has provided standards and services these last 30 plus years to its 400 plus local members.

50 years ago, the GS1 barcode was created to transform grocery shopping and empower more reliable and resilient supply chains. Today the beep of the GS1 barcode is heard over 6 billion times a day around the world.

From that point forward, a simple scan at checkout connected a physical product to its digital identity. Since then, GS1 standards have powered more reliable and transparent supply chains across industries. By identifying, capturing, and sharing information about things (products, parts, components and assets), business locations, documents and more, it enabled these industries to achieve true supply chain visibility and life cycle management.

GS1’s business benefits in more than 25 industries starting from fresh foods and foodservice to apparel. Throughout the years, branched out to transport and logistics, specific segments such as healthcare industry, financial industry, technical industry, and humanitarian logistics.

GS1 solutions are openly available to help members:

• Solve real-world business challenges.
• Achieve a trading partner mandate.
• Comply with a regulation.
• Meet the growing and changing needs of today’s consumers and patients.
• Identify – create unique global identity for products.
• Capture – record information into data carriers.
• Share – exchange accurate data and connect it everywhere.

The company works with organisations of every size. Over two million are part of GS1—from international household names to small, local businesses. Designed by consensus, standards are proven, open and benefit from collaboration with respected global companies.

“Correct GTINs enable better visibility on shopping platforms and marketplaces. Understanding identity enables us to show the right products in Google experiences like Search, YouTube and Google Maps.” – Mike Capsambelis Product Management Lead Google

The future has never looked brighter. New multipurpose 2D barcodes powered by GS1 standards are transforming a simple scan, opening a gateway of indepth product information. Whether on an in-store scanner or a mobile phone, they will create new opportunities to improve business operations, consumer experiences, patient safety and sustainability initiatives.

Locally GS1 Malta aims to continue to work collaboratively with local authorities, government, and other regulatory and public sector organizations—to help companies achieve regulatory compliance, adoption, and product safety.

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