What Is GS1?
GS1 is a global, non-profit organisation that develops and maintains the most widely adopted supply chain standards in the world. Its identification and data-sharing frameworks let businesses uniquely identify products, locations, assets and transactions, and are used by over two million organisations across retail, pharmaceuticals, electronics, healthcare, logistics and manufacturing.
GS1 and Brand Protection
The GS1 system forms the foundation of modern product authentication, verification and traceability initiatives, especially in industries where safety, compliance and transparency are critical. GS1 standards support accurate data capture, smooth movement of goods and consistent communication between supply chain partners, reducing errors, eliminating duplication and enabling real-time visibility across global networks.
Brands adopt GS1 identifiers such as GTIN, GLN, SSCC and GS1 DataMatrix for secure, structured product labelling. These identifiers support digital supply chain solutions, anti-counterfeiting programmes and verification workflows used in retail scanning, logistics automation and e-commerce authentication. In markets where authenticity and safety are major concerns, GS1 serves as a trusted foundation for secure product handling, serialisation and long-term IP protection.
Key GS1 Identifiers
GS1 and Brand Protection
For brands, GS1 identifiers strengthen governance and compliance:
- Every product carries a globally recognised, unambiguous code
- Supports IP protection and brand verification
- Central to regulatory compliance in regulated markets
- Reduces the risk of counterfeit goods entering the market
- Enables rapid, precise response during recalls
- Links testing data, batches and distribution records
GS1 and the Acviss Platform
Acviss builds on GS1 foundations: Origin uses GS1-compatible serialisation for track and trace from raw materials to retail, while secure QR codes add a non-cloneable authentication layer that standard GS1 barcodes lack.
This pairing gives brands interoperability with retailers and regulators plus counterfeit protection that a plain GTIN cannot provide.
GS1-Compatible Traceability with Origin
Serialise on global standards, authenticate with non-cloneable codes and trace every unit end to end. Built for brands and manufacturers.
Book a Free DemoFrequently Asked Questions
A global, non-profit organisation that develops and maintains the most widely adopted supply chain standards in the world, used by over two million organisations to uniquely identify products, locations, assets and transactions.
GTIN (Global Trade Item Number) for products, GLN (Global Location Number) for places, SSCC (Serial Shipping Container Code) for logistics units, and GS1 DataMatrix, a 2D code carrying GTIN plus serial number, batch and expiry data.
GS1 DataMatrix codes give each unit a serialised identity that can be verified against a traceability database, so unregistered or duplicated codes are exposed. Pairing GS1 serialisation with non-cloneable authentication features closes the gap left by copyable barcodes.
GS1 membership is voluntary, but many retailers, marketplaces and regulators require GS1 identifiers in practice: GTINs for retail and e-commerce listings, and GS1 DataMatrix for pharmaceutical serialisation under regulations such as the EU FMD and DSCSA.
Brands encode GTIN plus serial data into barcodes or 2D codes at packaging, record movement events using EPCIS conventions, and monitor products across warehouses, distributors and retail, enabling recalls, diversion detection and compliance reporting.
