The world is evolving rapidly and continuously. The GS1 standards must keep close pace with these evolutions and adapt to these changes.
That is why innovation is an integral part of the organisation. It allows us to better help our members for new applications of existing standards as well as the development of new standards and for setting up other services around existing standards.
Digital Product Passport
The transition to a Circular Economy is necessary, and in full swing. The EU Green Deal and its national translations require reliable and unique data, which makes it possible to obtain transparent information throughout the life cycle of the product (and beyond) about "where and when the product is, in what status". A product should, as it were, have its own passport, so that when the product is reused in a new life, it does not lose its previous dates of previous cycles. Thus, a product can be reused more efficiently and valuably. This is possible on the basis of GS1 standards. For more information, click on this link or register for the next Innovation Café on the Digital Product Passport
Holy Grail 2.0
GS1 supports the movement towards a greener and more sustainable economy. In this way, we also actively contribute to the European Holy Grail 2.0 project. Under the leadership of AIM, and in collaboration with more than 160 companies, we are all trying to find a more intelligent way to sort plastic waste, with the intention of increasing the recycling of plastics. The GS1 standards for identification and data exchange are crucial here. Since 2021, GS1 has been leading the data management working group within this project.
GS1 SMART-Box
The GS1 SMART-Box is a standardised transport box that makes your supply chain more efficient. This box reduces environmental impact by avoiding packaging waste and allowing for better stacking in the lorry. The GS1 SMART-Box was developed by GS1 Germany and is now ready for rollout across Europe.
Future of Barcodes
Spanning countries and spanning sectors, we are migrating to 2D barcodes at the Point-Of-Sale. After all, a 2D barcode has many advantages: it is small, can contain a lot of data and is easy to read. This creates opportunities for both distributor and producer, such as improved traceability, more targeted recalls and improved food waste management. The opportunities only increase if you can also bridge the gap to the digital world with a GS1 Digital Link. Take a look here for more information about this migration to 2D barcodes and the GS1 Belgilux project 'Future of Barcodes'.