Introduction to GS1Trade Packaging

Introduction

When you first log in to the system, you land on the dashboard page. It provides a quick overview of the components, units and products you're working with in the platform.

In GS1Trade Packaging products and their packaging are initially separated which ensures flexibility. If the same packaging is used across multiple products, you can maintain the data in one single place.

Create product 

A product is the physical product which is put on the market.

Go to the Products tab where you both create and maintain your products.  

In this example we will use jam as our product.

Put in:

  • Brand name
  • Description of the product
  • Product ID
  • Net content.

As a GS1 organization, we recommend identifying the product using the GTIN. This is optional but is essential if you wish to share the data with other users of GS1Trade Packaging.

When the jam product is created, you will not be able to see any data fields regarding packaging on the product page.

The data fields on this page only relates towhat's inside the packaging. The product itself.

Create the packaging

Navigate to the Packaging Master Data tab to add the packaging data.  

In this example our jam product consists of packaging with three components: a lid, a label, and the jar itself.

Create them as components in the platform.

The lid

  • Name the component so you are able to identify it later. You can choose to include the material type and weight in the name.
  • Chose an element type, a material type and weight.

The jar

  • Give it a name.
  • Specify the element type (eg. a jar) and the material type (eg. glass) and enter in the weight of the jar.

The label

In this example the product label, highlights another feature inGS1Trade Packaging - if the component is a mono- or a composite material (consisting of multiple material layers).

If dealing with a composite material, the different layers must be specified.

  • At the top enter in the weight of the entire label
  • Specify each layer - in this example the label is made of paper, which weighs one gram with a plast coating of LDPE, which also weighs one gram.

Integrated component

Packaging can consist of both a main component, integrated components and separated components.

In this example the label is also a so called integrated component.

An integrated component is per definition a packaging component which isn't designed to be separated from the main component when recycling or during transportation.

It's important to combine the main components with the integrated components before creating packaging systems - but especially before doing the packaging classification for each component. According to the Danish Environmental Protection Agency's regulation, packaging consisting of a main component and an integrated component must be environmentally graded as a whole.

  • Navigate to the main component - eg. the jam jar.
  • By the tab 'Integrated components' click Edit Details.
  • Chose the integrated component from the list to the right and drag it over and place it in the empty field.
  • At 'Join type' choose from the dropdown list how the integrated component is connected to the main component.
  • Click Save.

The jam jar and the label are now linked together in the system.

Then we assemble the components - jar and lid into a packaging unit.

  • In the Packaging Master Data tab click Create new and Create new unit.
  • The unit is given a meaningful name - in our example, a jam product.
  • Specify the unit type - eg. a jar.
  • Drag the right components from the list on the right in to the unit.
  • When the components are dragged one by one the system automatically indicates that there is a quantity of one of the selected component.

If you're dealing with packaging - for example a multipack containing multiple components, the quantity can be adjusted accordingly. In our example there's only one of each component.

Navigate back to the Packaging Master Data tab to get an overview of all the components and units created.

When navigating to the unit - all components for the product are visible that are created for that unit.

Link products and packaging

Now we have created packaging and products in the system.

It's an option to create an association between the two, which is not mandatory, but an option.

Packaging created in the platform which isn't necessarily linked to a product can still exist on its own without an association.

  • Navigate to the 'Products' tab.
  • Click on the product. The first page you're presented with is 'Linked Packaging'.
  • Click on Link packaging unit. The specific unit is searched for and selected.

In this example we have created three different jam jar products (strawberry, raspberry and orange jam) but only one packaging unit. The reason for this is that we in this example use the same packaging for all three products and therefore it can be linked to all three.

If the packaging is improved and you need to update the data, you only have to do it once and it will affect all linked products.

Create packaging systems

If you are sure that you always sell your (in this example) jam in bulk you can create the components and units for this.

The basic products and bulk exists separately in the system but it allows you to combine or create a relationship between the units.

  • Navigate to the Packaging Systems tab.
  • Create, eg. Jam, multiple variants'.
  • Drag the components you have already created from the list on the right and drag them in to the system as primary, secondary or tertiary packaging.
  • Indicate how many eg. pallets, bulk or basic units are included in the system

Businesses operate differently. Some companies know exactly how many pallets they have put on the market. Others use the amount of sold basic products and some measure at the bulk packaging level.

By assembling packaging into packaging systems and specifying the number of units you can accurately calculate the total amount of packaging introduced on the market across primary, secondary and teriary packaging.

Packaging classification on components

GS1Trade Packaging gives you the option to carry out packaging classification for all your packaging. This is done at the component level.

  • In this instance the jar is the main component as it is the heaviest component
  • The jar has the label as an integrated component - which means they are classified together.
  • The lid is a separate component and is classified on its own.

Perform the packaging classification

  • Start out with the jar.
  • Specify the overall material category (eg. 'glass').
  • Based on the selected material category a list of design requirements will need to be filled out - Click Edit.
  • The following form is based on design requirements by executive order on packaging and packaging waste, and must be indicated with the values: Low, Medium or High.

NB: If you're unfamiliar with specific material details, contact your packaging supplier.

  • All design requirements are filled out. Click Save.

Each material sub category classifies packaging into levels based on its environmental impact and the component is assigned an overall level: Low, Medium or High.

Repeat the process for every component in the unit - and the environmental graduated contribution of the components of the jam product is calculated.

Practical information

In the component preview, you can set elements as inactive or active. For example, if certain packaging is no longer used but need to be documented for historical purposes (a function which supports legal requirements).

For the same reason all activity is logged in the system.

Currently users can see the 'date' and 'user' responsible for both creation and last modification.

Do you want to download the guide?

arrow-right-circle
Get it here

Still need help? Then get to GS1 Denmark's support team. We're always ready to help.

Switch to English / Dansk
Do you have any questions?
Contact us here

Introduction to GS1Trade Packaging

Table of contents