The multi-sectorial aspect of the system makes it suitable for use by any company or organisation, in any sectors of industry and services, and at any level within the sector. Hence, the GS1 system is currently applied in sectors such as:
- grocery
- healthcare
- textile and apparel
- packaging
- publishing
- music
- electronic
- telecommunications
- postal
- defence
- transport
- agriculture/livestock
- mobile commerce
What makes the GS1 system so versatile and adaptable to the needs of all sectors is that every item (be it a product, service or location) can be identified by a unique and non-significant number. Uniqueness allows all trading parties throughout the supply and communication chain to refer to the same identification number and communicate in the most timely, accurate and cost effective manner. Non-significance implies that the information relevant to a product, service or location is maintained in a computer database and not embedded in the number itself. Communication and updating of information held in databases is easier and less costly than changing code structure to incorporate new meanings.
In addition, the global standardisation of the data carrier and communication formats enables data to be easily stored and communicated between companies and between countries. These are the elements that make the GS1 system a multi-industry and multi-sectorial user system.
|
