Frequently Asked Question (FAQ)

Want to learn more about GS1 Standards, Keys, Services & Platforms?

Please download our DIY Self-Learning Materials. (Alternate Download Link)

Question 1

 

Q

     

Why is it important to only register with GS1 for globally recognised and unique GS1 barcodes?

A

     

  1. Ensure the barcoded numbers that you have is valid as GS1 Malaysia is the only official source for GS1 barcode numbers and standards.

  2. Build confidence to your trading or business partner as your bar coded numbers are valid.

  3. Registration with GS1 ensures that you are a part of a global network of GS1 standards users. This network consists of various players in the global supply chain from retailers to manufacturers, importers and exporters to distributors.

  4. Are able to track and trace your product, especially during the shipping of the product across borders. It is easier to keep track all the product information even though from different countries because you are using a global standard platform which is used by traders around the world.

  5. In order to protect your brand and for the trading partners and customers to verify product authenticity, having a unique GS1 product identification is important across the supply chain.

  6. Easier to access your product information on e-commerce platform.

  7. To prevent misuse, identity integrity disputes, counterfeiting and fraud of your company's brands and products.

  8. Avoid victimisation and exploitation by Unauthorised Barcode Resellers such as Barcodes Malaysia, Barcode Savers Malaysia and OEM Group.

 

Do you know the difference between GS1 Malaysia and 3rd Party Unauthorised Barcode Resellers?

Unauthorised resellers do not provide any after-sales service or support, do not provide validation or verification and do not assist in any disputes related to the identity integrity of your product.

GS1 Malaysia Provides All The Above, and MORE.

Click Here to find out more!
      

 

Question 2

 

Q

     

What are the benefits of registering for a GS1 barcode?

A

     

  1. Will be able to assist the brand owners in verifying product authenticity (in case of dispute of product identification).

  2. Fast and accurate data capture at every point in the supply chain.

  3. Better inventory control in distribution and storage.

  4. No errors in the recognition of goods as one standard for use with all trading partners, therefore no conflicting bar coded numbers.

  5. Your products can be sold everywhere, locally and overseas in any retail store.
      

 

Question 3

 

Q

     

Is it compulsory to register?

A

     

It is only compulsory to the extent of the requirements set by any of your trading partners. Considering that almost every player in the global retail supply chain require some form of GS1 identification, if it’s not compulsory in your current situation, it may soon become compulsory when you try and expand your business country-wide or worldwide.
      

 

Question 4

 

Q

     

How do I assign item numbers to my products?

A

     

The simple rule is that every product and variant of the same product should be allocated a different number. These variants can be brand, pack size, colour, packaging type, flavour and quality. For example, Brand A orange juice of 1.0 litre will have a different number from Brand A of 2.0 litre.
      

 

Question 5

 

Q

     

I noticed that at the supermarket when the barcode is scanned, the cash register displays the products information and price. How is this information coded in the barcode?

A

     

The barcode symbol does not carry any other information but the identification number given to the product. The retail store keeps all the information of the product including the price in its computer database. The barcoded number is used as reference. When a product is sold at the checkout counter, an electronic scanner “reads” the barcode. The scanner is linked to the retail store’s computer database. The number “picked” up by the scanner is matched against the same number in the database and information of the product and the price is retrieved and flashed back to the cash register. The information of the product is then also printed onto the detailed receipt.
        

Question 6

 
Q      Do I change the barcode number every time I change the label or contents of the product?

A

     

Yes, it is recommended to consider the changed product as a variant and market it with its own barcode number.

Here are 10 simple rules for barcode allocation:

1.New Product Introduction
2.New Formulation / Functionality
3.New Net Content
4.Dimension / Weight Change
5.Add or Remove Certification Mark
6.Different Brand
7.Different Pack / Case Quantity
8.Time Critical / Promotional
9.Change in Pre-Defined Assortment
10.Price on Pack / R.R.P.

 
        

Question 7

 
Q      Can I reuse an item number that has previously been allocated to a discontinued product?
A      An item number allocated to a product which has become obsolete or has been withdrawn from the market must not be reassigned to a new product. This is so as to ensure that the obsolete or withdrawn barcode number can still be accurately identified for 2nd hand sales. Medical products cannot reuse barcode numbers by law for safety reasons.
        

Question 8

 
Q      We distribute imported products that already have barcodes. Is it necessary for us to re-label the product with our company’s own barcode number?

A

     

A product bearing an authentic GS1 barcode should not have its barcode label removed. The GS1 barcodes on imported products are globally accepted and is also used both locally and overseas for traceability purposes. However, if your company is repackaging the product, you can use your own barcode label on the new packaging. In this case, the original barcode should be retained but obscured to prevent accidental scans or confusion at the checking counter.
        

Question 9

 
Q      I noticed that the height of the barcodes has been shortened (truncated) for some products. Can I do the same for the barcode of my product?

A

     

Truncation of the barcode symbol is not recommended because it reduces the scanning capability of scanners. Your product may not be able to scan if the height of the barcodes has been cut.

 

     

 

Question 10

 

Q

     

Must barcodes always have to be printed as black bars against a white background?
A     

No, various colour combinations can be used. The important principle to remember is there must be sufficient colour contrast between the bars and background. Bar codes must be dark. Black, green, blue and dark brown are suitable colours for printing the bars. The background colour space between the bars must be light. Suitable colours for background are white, orange, red and yellow. A colour guide chart with examples of scannable and unscannable bar codes is available from the GS1 Malaysia.

Question 11

 

Q

     

Why Won't My Barcodes Show Up in Wechat/Google/3rd Party App?
A     

Please be informed that GS1-assigned barcode numbers and barcode owner-provided product information are not shared by GS1 Malaysia to any non-GS1 organization or application. You can instead find your product information on GS1 Malaysia’s Product Search Portal or our Databank Mobile App, both of which reference the GS1 Malaysia Member Product Databank, a trusted, online product information repository hosted by GS1 Malaysia. Please take note that most 3rd party apps have their own barcode/product database; if you would like your product information to appear there, kindly contact that organization to do so.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Language : [English] [Bahasa Melayu]

 

 

Product Listing Form – Frequently Asked Questions

 

1. Where can I get the Product Listing Form?

Please find the Product Listing Form here.

GS1 Malaysia can also e-mail the required forms to you if you have provided your official email address to us.

 

2. What should I put in the quantity and unit of measurement columns?

Please find some examples below:

  • 6 pack of 100 Plus - ‘6’ for quantity and ‘can’ for unit of measurement.

  • 1.5L mineral water - ‘1.5’ for quantity and ‘liter’ for unit of measurement.

  • 10kg pack of rice - ‘10’ for quantity and ‘kg’ for unit of measurement.

 

3. What is GPC?

GPC stands for Global Product Classification. It is used to classify your products to in a global directory. It is similar to the Yellow Pages. You can find out more about GPC here.

 

4. What should I put in the Barcode column?

Please leave that column blank, as we will be allocating the barcode numbers for your products once your membership has been approved.

 

5. If my company is not in the food & beverage industry, and has nothing to do with halal certification, do I still need to fill in the halal certificate information?

If you are in a non-halal or unrelated industry, please put down ‘NO’ or ‘N/A’. Please do not leave the field blank.

 

6. Do I really need to provide an image of my products?

Kindly note that providing product images is optional, however, we highly recommend that you do so, as your product details will be made available in our Databank Mobile App and can therefore assist you and your customers in verifying and authenticating your products.

 

7. What is difference between a retail unit product and non-retail unit product?

Retail unit products are products that are sold in a retail environment directly to consumers, whereas non-retail unit products refer to items that are not sold in a retail environment to consumers i.e. not bought through the POS / cash register. You may find out more about the difference between retail unit and non-retail unit products here.

 

8. I am in the process of applying for the Halal Certificate, but I still haven’t obtained the certificate yet, what should I fill in the halal information column?

Please write “In Progress” in your halal information column. After you have obtained the Halal Certificate, please update us again accordingly.

 

9. What should I write for Country of Origin?

Please put the country where the product was manufactured and assembled. For repackaged products, we recommend that you note down separately the origin of the raw materials as well. Please take note that the information you provide must be supported by a Certificate of Origin (CO).

 

10. How long will it take for GS1 Malaysia to allocate the barcode numbers for us?

For our new members, GS1 Malaysia will provide the number listing together with the approval letter within 1 week or 7 working days once we have confirmed that all the provided information is in order.

 

11. Why is GS1 Malaysia collecting product details from me?

While information is at our fingertips, losing it is also easy. By providing this information to GS1 Malaysia, we act as a free backup repository of all of your registered products’ and logistic units’ details. Should your product database somehow becomes corrupted, is deleted or goes missing, you may contact GS1 Malaysia to retrieve your last updated backup, complete with product information and barcode allocation.  

GS1 Malaysia will also use this information to provide assistance and guidance to our new members on the assignment and allocation of their barcode numbers.

Last, but not least, GS1 Malaysia’s Member Product Databank will serve as a trusted source of product information that retailers can refer to in order to check the validity of theirs and other members' product barcodes. In the case of dispute of product identification, GS1 Malaysia will be able to facilitate the brand owners in verifying product authenticity.

 

 

 

Borang Penyenaraian Produk - Soalan-soalan yang kerap ditanya

 

1. Dari mana boleh saya dapatkan borang penyenaraian produk?

Borang penyenaraian produk boleh didapati dari laman web GS1 Malaysia. Sila layari link ini.

Ahli juga boleh mendapatkan borang berkenaan melalui e-mel kepada GS1 Malaysia.

 

2. Apakah yang perlu saya masukkan ke dalam ruangan kuantiti dan unit ukuran?

Sila ikut contoh dibawah :

  • Pek 6 minuman 100 Plus - Isikan ‘6’ dalam kuantiti dan ‘can’ dalam unit ukuran.

  • Botol 1.5 L air mineral - Isikan ‘1.5’ dalam kuantiti dan ‘liter’ dalam unit ukuran.

  • Pek beras 10 kg - Isikan ’10’ dalam kuantiti dan ‘kg’ dalam unit ukuran.

 

3. Apakah maksudnya GPC?

GPC bermaksud Global Product Classification, ataupun Klasifikasi Produk Global. Ia digunakan untuk mengklasifikasikan produk-produk syarikat anda dalam direktori global. Ia sama seperti/menyerupai dengan service yang ditawarkan dalam laman Yellow Pages. Penjelasan lanjut tentang GPC boleh didapati dari sini.

 

4. Apa yang perlu saya isikan dalam ruangan Barcode?

Sila biarkan ruangan Barcode kosong, GS1 Malaysia akan memberikan nombor barcode sebaik saja permohonan keahlian dan permohonan barcode diluluskan.

 

5. Jika syarikat saya tidak ada apa-apa kaitan dengan pensijilan halal, apa yang perlu saya isikan dalam ruangan maklumat pensijilan halal?

Jika syarikat kamu tiada kaitan dengan pensijilan halal, sila isikan ‘Tiada’ ataupun ‘n/a’. Sila jangan biarkan ruangan tersebut kosong.

 

6. Adakah gambar produk-produk diperlukan?

Kamu bukannya wajib memberikan gambar produk kepada GS1 Malaysia (Gambar produk tidak diwajibkan), tetapi kita menyarankan agar ahli-ahli GS1 Malaysia berbuat demikian, untuk melengkapkan informasi produk-produk anda yang akan dipaparkan dalam Aplikasi Databank GS1 Malaysia.

Ini adalah untuk membenarkan konsumer-konsumer untuk mendapatkan informasi terperinci terhadap produk-produk anda untuk pengesahan dan kepastian terhadap produk-produk tersebut.

 

7. Apakah perbezaan antara produk “retail” dan “non-retail”?

Produk retail adalah barangan produk yang dipamer dan dijual  dalam pasaran terus kepada konsumer dan harus melalui system POS atau mesin cash register bagi tujuan “scan” untuk mendapatkan identity dan harga terhadap produk tersebut. Produk bukan retail adalah produk yang tidak biasanya dijual kepada pelanggan, macam kotak karton produk yang mengandungi bilangan banyak. Untuk penjelasan lanjutan tentang produk retail dan bukan retail, sila layari link ini.

 

8. Apa yang seharusnya diisi dalam ruangan “Halal” sekiranya proses permohonan sijil halal sedang diuruskan?

Sila isi “In Progress” dalam ruangan butir halal. Selepas urusan and permohonan sijil halal diluluskan, sila mengemaskini butiran tersebut dengan GS1 Malaysia.

 

9. Apa yang perlu disikan dalam ruangan Country of Origin / Negara Asal?

Sila isikan negara asal dimana produk itu berasal ataupun dibuat. Untuk produk yang dipakej semula, sila isikan butir negara asal bahan-bahan mentah yang digunakan. Sila ambil perhatian bahawa maklumat yang diberikan kepada GS1 Malaysia mengenai negara asal produk mesti disokong oleh Certificate of Origin (CO).

 

10. Apakah tempoh masa untuk GS1 Malaysia mengeluarkan nombor barcode selepas permohonan dibuat?

Untuk ahli-ahli baru , GS1 Malaysia akan memberikan nombor barcode bersama surat kelulusan dalam jangka 1 minggu ataupun dalam 7 hari bekerja selepas GS1 Malaysia sudah mengesahkan bahawa maklumat yang diterima adalah lengkap and mengikut keperluan untuk diproses.  

 

11. Kenapa GS1 Malaysia perlu mengumpul maklumat produk-produk milik ahli?

Maklumat berkenaan dengan produk adalah asset yang amat penting dalam sesuatu bisnes, informasi tersebut secara langsung akan dikenalpasti melalui barcode produk tersebut. GS1 Malaysia akan menjadi repositori sandaran untuk maklumat produk-produk ahlinya, sekiranya pangkalan data ataupun fail yang mengandungi butiran produk atau barcode hilang ataupun sengaja dipadam, GS1 Malaysia boleh dihubungi untuk mendapatkan kembali sandaran terakhir maklumat produk-produk anda dan menyediakan khidmat nasihat untuk menguruskan situasi tersebut.

Selain itu, maklumat produk tersebut boleh digunakan untuk memberi bantuan dan bimbingan kepada ahli baru dalam mangenalpasti peruntukan nombor barcode mereka.

Dan akhirnya, Produk Databank Ahli GS1 Malaysia akan menjadi sumber maklumat produk yang boleh dipercayai oleh peruncit. Mereka boleh merujuknya untuk pemeriksaan kesahihan barcode produk mereka dan keahlian GS1 Malaysia dalam mengenalpasti pemilik sesuatu produk. Dalam kes pertikaian pengenalan produk, GS1 Malaysia boleh memudahkan pemilik jenama dalam mengesahkan ketulenan produk dan hak milik produk tersebut.