NEW ORLEANS -- Sunrise 2005, global trade item number compliance and related subjects were the focus of the Association of Coupon Professionals' annual conference here last week.
niversal Product Code symbol should be able to scan EAN 13-digit systems by Jan. 1, 2005. The deadline is known as Sunrise 2005.
The UCC, Lawrenceville, N.J., is also urging consumer packaged goods manufacturers, retailers and distributors to update and expand their databases to accept 14-digit data structures by the same date to support the GTIN initiative for seamless global trade.
The UCC directive will have a major impact on the coupon industry, John Morgan, ACP spokesman, told SN.
"We're talking about changing the bar codes in coupons," Morgan said. "This is a watershed event."
Along with Sunrise 2005, another technological issue of importance is Reduced Space Symbology, Morgan said. RSS provides bar-code marking to items that are too small for traditional UPCs, or where there is a business need to scan additional data at the point of sale. RSS is currently being applied to fresh meat, produce and other items.
