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New Survey to Assess Readiness for GS1 DataBar on Coupons

The Joint Industry Coupon Committee (JICC) will be surveying the retail community later this month to determine whether retailers are ready to scan and process the GS1 DataBar on coupons.

SAN ANTONIO — The Joint Industry Coupon Committee (JICC) will be surveying the retail community later this month to determine whether retailers are ready to scan and process the GS1 DataBar on coupons.

Beginning next January and continuing through June 2011, manufacturers will be dropping the traditional UPC-A bar code on coupons and only using the GS1 DataBar (currently both are used); the DataBar contains up to 70 digits of information, allowing manufacturers to include expiration date, various coupon values and other data currently not contained in the UPC-A code.

“This is our last opportunity to gauge retailers’ readiness,” said Alan Williams, co-chair of the JICC and vice president of applications development, Ahold USA, during a presentation here today at U Connect 2010, sponsored by GS1 US and VICS.

“We’re looking for retailers to respond to the survey. Hopefully, most will be ready [to scan the DataBar].”

The JICC conducted a similar survey in January but did not draw enough responses to come to any conclusions about industry readiness.

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