Ahold USA to Begin Preparations in January for Bar Code Changes

MICHAEL GARRY

LANDOVER, Md. — Ahold USA will begin preparing its store systems next January for changes in coupon and perishable bar codes coming over the next few years, according to Alan Williams, vice president of application development, Ahold Information Services here, and co-chair of the Joint Industry Coupon Committee. By January 2010, manufacturers will no longer print current UPC-A bar codes on coupons, instead printing GS1 DataBar (reduced space symbology) codes, which retailers will need to scan and process. “We’ll work with POS software vendors and assess [scanning] hardware in 2008,” said Williams. “In 2009, we’ll take code delivery from POS vendors and make internal changes.” Ahold USA’s two operating companies — Stop & Shop/Giant of Landover, Md. and Giant of Carlisle, Pa./Tops — will each follow a different timetable, reflecting their different POS systems.

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