GS1 Philippines, the leading organization on local barcode standards, officially launched GS1 Activate, a web-based service aimed at simplifying barcode generation and symbol creation for businesses, revolutionizing the retail supply chain through digitalization.

Launched during GS1 Philippines’ Annual Conference and General Membership Meeting on January 30, 2024, GS1 Activate streamlines the processing of generating barcode numbers and symbols for businesses, making product data and identification digitized and further improving the efficiency and visibility of supply and demand chains globally and across sectors.

By adhering to GS1 standards and services, GS1 Activate enables businesses to achieve accurate product identification with global trade item numbers (GTINs) and seamless data sharing, enhancing customer service and operational efficiency. With GS1 Activate, businesses can easily obtain barcode numbers for their products, allowing for their global distribution. Additionally, the service provides expert guidance on printing and placing barcode symbols to ensure optimal scanning performance. By leveraging GS1 Activate to share product data, companies can expand their reach to retailers and marketplaces worldwide, enhancing the visibility and accessibility of their products on a global scale.

GS1 Philippines targets to introduce GS1 Activate to over 30,000 retailers nationwide by the end of 2024. They are currently serving over 5,000 retailers.

“In an economy where the Philippines’ e-commerce market is estimated to reach $24 billion (approx. Php 1.3 trillion) through 2025, GS1 Activate is a game-changer. This new service revolutionizes business barcode generation, reducing the time required compared to traditional product identification methods and eliminating common errors, saving costs on label reprinting and minimizing the need for extensive personnel training. By dramatically simplifying the process, GS1 Activate also enhances efficient data sharing, crucial for strengthening both local and global trade. This launch is a testament to our dedication to advancing digital integration within the Philippines’ supply chain ecosystem, reinforcing our role in the global economy,” GS1 Philippines, and Philippine Retailers Association President Bobby Claudio said.

Aligning with the annual gathering’s theme, “Unified Unlocked: Activating Integrated Digitalization,” GS1 Philippines’ conference marked the 50th anniversary of the introduction of the barcode system and highlighted GS1’s focus on shifting to the 2D migration of barcodes to QR codes while calling for global retail Point of Sale (POS) scanners to be capable of processing 2D barcodes by 2027.

In his remark, GS1 Philippines Chairman Atty. Pablo Gancayo shared, “We are now focused on evolving the barcode into the next level we call the 2D migration, which is expected to revolutionize further commerce. GS1 will guide the industry towards 2D migration, which it hopes to achieve and implement comprehensively by the year 2027.”

The annual gathering hosted insightful discussions, networking, and collaboration opportunities among key government figures, industry players, and GS1 members. Among those present was Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) Undersecretary Mary Jean T. Pacheco, who emphasized GS1 standards’ pivotal role in enhancing supply chain efficiency and visibility for Philippine industries competing globally. During her talk, she discussed the government agency’s three-year food logistics action agenda aimed to revolutionize the food distribution system by addressing critical supply chain gaps and integrating ICT to enhance logistics performance. Undersecretary Pacheco expressed eagerness for collaborations with GS1 Philippines to achieve these goals.

Other government leaders and industry experts also shared their perspectives on the impact of global standards in the digital age, including Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) Secretary Ivan John Enrile Uy; De La Salle-College of Saint Benilde School of Environment and Design faculty member and packaging designer and consultant Prof. Ana Maria Veronica Solano; and CLASSchool Founder and Nutraways Manufacturing Corporation General Manager Love Emmanuel Agudo.

Several executives from both GS1 Philippines and the GS1 Global Office graced the event, namely: GS1 Global Office President and CEO Renaud De Barbuat; GS1 Philippines Trustee and Philippine Exporters Confederation, Inc. (PHILEXPORT) President Sergio Ortiz-Luis Jr.; and GS1 Global Office GS1 Registry Platform Global Deployment Lead Joe Horwood.

Among the prominent industry groups present at the conference were PHILEXPORT, Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry (PCCI), Philippine Retailers Association (PRA), Philippine Food Processors and Exporters Organization (PHILFOODEX), Philippine Chamber of Food Manufacturers, Inc. (PCFMI), Pharmaceutical and Healthcare Association of the Philippines (PHAP), Philippine Consumer Centric Traders Association (PCCTA), Packaging Institute of the Philippines (PIP), Chamber of Cosmetics Industry of the Philippines (CCIP), Soap and Detergent Association of the Philippines (SDAP), and the Beverage Industry Association of the Philippines.