About GS1

What is GS1?

GS1 Denmark is the Danish division of the global standardisation organisation GS1.

We offer standards and services that support all operators in creating a more efficient, secure and sustainable supply chain. This can involve anything from implementing barcodes and tracking products and shipments - to exchanging master data, purchase orders and invoices.

1973

On 3 April 1973, industry leaders in the US grocery sector created the 12-digit Universal Product Code (U.P.C. barcode) - an innovation that has since revolutionized our modern economy and society.

1974

The US Uniform Code Council (UCC) is designated as the administrator of the new Universal Product Code (U.P.C) barcode, and on June 26 - in a Marsh supermarket in Ohio - a pack of Wrigley's chewing gum becomes the first product in the world to be scanned with a barcode.

1977

The European Article Numbering Association (EAN) is established as an international, not-for-profit standards organization in Brussels. The new EAN barcode is fully compatible with the American U.P.C barcode. EAN Denmark is established on June 14, 1977.

1995

GS1 is entering the healthcare sector, implementing standards to increase patient safety, promote supply chain efficiency - and improve the identification and traceability of medical products.

2000

At the start of the new millennium, GS1 is present in 90 countries. LE@N, an Internet service that enables companies to exchange electronic orders and invoices with other Internet-based users, is established by GS1 Denmark.

2002

GS1's Global Standards Management Process (GSMP) is launched, providing a neutral framework for industry to discuss common business challenges and establish new standards-based solutions for their businesses.

2003

EPCglobal, Inc. is formed to develop standards for Electronic Product Code (EPC) and support the use of Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) technology. These standards find their way into the healthcare, fashion and technical industry sectors in particular. Electronic invoicing for the public sector is introduced via EAN. The first pharmaceutical packages are scanned in Denmark and a pilot project with bedside scanning based on GS1 standards takes place at Frederiksberg Hospital.

2004

GS1 DataMatrix is approved and is the first two-dimensional barcode adopted by GS1. The GS1 Global Data Synchronization Network (GS1 GDSN) is also launched, enabling all companies to seamlessly share high-quality product information across countries and continents.

2005

UCC and EAN are merging to create one global organization with 101 local GS1 member organizations, which is why many familiar standards are changing names. EAN location number is now called GLN and EAN item number GTIN. EAN-Danmark becomes GS1 Denmark.

In the same year, the first Danish data pool for the exchange of master data in retail, DADAS, is established.

2011

The Falsified Medicines Directive is adopted, requiring all medicine packages of certain products to be marked with a unique GS1 2D barcode. Similarly, the 1169 Directive is adopted, requiring that digital consumers should not be put at a disadvantage compared to physical consumers.

2013

GS1 receives accreditation by the U.S. Food & Drug Administration (FDA) as the issuing agency for the unique identifiers (UDI) used to globally and uniquely identify medical devices.

2016

Le@n is upgraded in Denmark to the GS1Trade Transact service, and the BBC names the GS1 barcode one of the 50 things that created the modern economy.

2017

GS1Trade Exact and GS1Trade Image connect to GS1Trade Sync and provide quality checks and product photos. GS1 enters the financial sector as an accredited issuer of Legal Entity Identifiers (LEI), which uniquely identify companies that engage in financial transactions.

2019

The GS1 Registry Platform (GRP) is established as a platform for GS1 Company Prefixes (GCP), GTINs (or barcode numbers) and GS1 Global Location Numbers (GLN). Verified by GS1 facilitates the platform where brand owners can share data about their products to retailers and marketplaces.

2020

In Denmark, GS1Trade Activate is launched, connected to the GS1 Registry Platform, which supports Verified by GS1 and provides a digital overview of a company's GTIN and GLN. The GS1 Digital Link standard emerges, with QR codes connecting consumers to data such as product information, promotions, ingredients and recipes.

2021

GS1 is supporting the industry with an ambition to read two-dimensional barcodes - QR codes and GS1 DataMatrix barcodes - at retail outlets around the world by 2027. Meanwhile, a Norwegian pilot project shows that 2D barcodes are highly effective in the fight against food waste.

2022

Digital product passports are part of a new EU legislative framework as part of the Green Agenda. General requirements for the product passport are that it must be based on open and interoperable standards. A joint report by the WTO and the World Economic Forum also points out that GS1's product and location identification makes global trade more efficient, inclusive and sustainable.

2023

GS1 celebrates the 50th anniversary of the barcode together with the other 116 local GS1 member organizations. Over one billion products now have GS1 barcodes, scanned six billion times every day around the world.

What are GS1 standards?

GS1 standards provide a global, common language to identify, capture and share quality-assured data.

Our standards can help ensure traceability on anything, be it a liter of semi-skimmed milk, a medicinal product, a pallet, a container, a hospital bed, or a location such as a factory, a warehouse, a shop, a restaurant or even a field.

Our employees

"We Love Standards" - and so should you.

It's no secret that GS1 employees are the biggest supporters of standards and standardized approaches.

This makes them some of the most competent standardisation experts who daily advise large and small companies and organisations in Denmark as well as abroad.