Embracing GS1 Standards: Why Brands Should Care and How Tappr Supports It

Introduction

As digital product passports continue to gain traction in the business world, there's a growing need for a standardized system to ensure their widespread adoption and effectiveness. GS1, a global organization that develops and maintains supply chain standards, provides a powerful solution. In this blog post, we'll explore the importance of GS1 standards, why brands should care, and how Tappr supports these standards to unlock the full potential of digital product passports.

Why Brands Should Care About GS1

It all comes down to interoperability and preventing brands from vendor lockins. 

Interoperability

GS1 standards enable seamless communication and data sharing between various systems and players in the ecosystem. By adhering to these standards, brands can improve their operations, reduce errors, and streamline processes, increasing efficiency and cost savings.

Below are some examples of essential ecosystem partners that benefit from the interoperability of GS1 standards:

• Textile Recycling Organizations: These organizations rely on accurate product information to sort and process recycled materials. Scanning the QR code provides easy identification of materials and their origins, streamlining the recycling process and promoting a more circular economy.
  
  
• Cashier Systems: Retailers and point-of-sale (POS) systems must identify products to ensure fast and accurate transactions. Every QR code is unique, meaning the retail transaction can be associated with serial numbers. GS1 expects that QR codes will entirely replace barcodes in the next decade. 1 code to rule them all!
  
  
• Manufacturers and Suppliers: GS1 standards facilitate communication between manufacturers and suppliers, ensuring that all parties can access up-to-date product information. This enhances supply chain efficiency and helps prevent issues related to inventory management, such as stockouts or overstocking.
  
  
• Logistics and Transportation Providers: Accurate product identification and tracking using the QR code
  
  
• Certification Bodies and Regulatory Agencies: As governments and industries impose stricter regulations and certification requirements, GS1 standards provide a consistent framework for businesses to demonstrate compliance. This simplifies the process of meeting regulatory requirements and allows for more effective enforcement of standards.
  
  
• E-commerce Platforms and Marketplaces: Online marketplaces and e-commerce platforms require accurate product information to optimize their listings and improve search results for consumers. GS1 standards ensure that product data is consistent and reliable across various platforms, enhancing the online shopping experience.

By adopting GS1 standards, the entire ecosystem can communicate more effectively, leading to increased efficiency, reduced errors, and improved sustainability. The widespread adoption of GS1 standards will be essential in creating a more interconnected and streamlined global supply chain, ultimately benefiting all stakeholders involved.

Vendor lock-in & why you & Tappr should care

The discomfort of vendor lock-in - not with Tappr

When you work with a Digital Product Passport provider that does not support GS1, be prepared for a massive vendor lock-in. Switching from a DPP provider will become very costly and even impossible. It could mean you’re locked into a vendor throughout the entire lifecycle of any products you have integrated the particular vendor’s DPPs into.

The essential element to ensure you’re not vendor-locked in requires brands to own the domain name that the QR codes connect with

We prevent our clients from having a vendor lock-in. It creates a healthy relationship between us, DPP providers, and clients. 

At Tappr, we enable you to use your own domain name and keep complete control over the lifecycle of the QR codes. An example is domain is qr.yourbrand.com or passport.yourbrand.com.

Tappr believes the choice is always the better option. You shouldn’t stick with us because we are your first DPP vendor. You want to stick with us because we consistently deliver the most advanced and successful platform. This freedom of choice keeps us, a digital product passport platform, sharp in developing solutions and retaining clients.

Concluding

GS1 standards are crucial in successfully implementing and adopting digital product passports. By embracing these standards, brands can enhance their supply chain efficiency, increase transparency and traceability, and meet regulatory requirements. Tappr's support for GS1 standards ensures businesses can seamlessly integrate digital product passports into their operations and unlock their full potential. As brands increasingly adopt digital product passports, integrating GS1 standards will be paramount in shaping a more sustainable, transparent, and efficient global supply chain.

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