Frequently Asked Questions

Q. I need to barcode my product and I was told to ring you. What do I have to do?

A. You need to join GS1 Mauritius as a licensee member and acquire a prefix number. This prefix allows you to identify your products with internationally unique numbers represented in barcode form.

Q. Why should I join GS1 Mauritius?

A. Most products today have to be barcoded to enable their efficient circulation across the supply and demand chain. Through the barcoding system, products reach the consumer more rapidly and retailers can manage their stock more efficiently. When matched with GS1 Global Standards, the barcoding system is a powerful means of information sharing and trade facilitation worldwide. GS1 provides Global standards for the automatic, rapid and accurate identification of products, services, assets and locations.

Q. How much does it cost and how long does it take to get a number?

A. There is an Annual Licence fee, which is based on your organisation's annual turnover. We process new Members daily and you will normally receive your prefix within 24 hours.

Q. How many numbers do I get?

A. However you may require, they come in blocks of 1000, 10,000 or 100,000. We don't allocate your individual numbers. You allocate your own product numbers and add them to your membership number.

Q. Do you provide me with the actual barcodes or how do I go about it?

A. No, we just deal with the numbers. There is a list of label suppliers/printing companies with the Application form. You can contact them for the printing of the barcodes.

Q. Do you keep a register of the numbers I have assigned to my products?

A. No, we recommend you keep an up-to-date record of the numbers you have assigned to your products.

Q. What is a check digit and do I have to work it out manually?

A. A check digit is the result of a mathematical calculation performed on the preceding digits. It is used during scanning to verify the barcode was correctly read. You can work them out yourself from our web site or the literature you will receive upon application - it's not hard.

Q. Does the membership number indicate country of origin of the product?

A. No, the two or three country digit prefix at the start of the member number (e.g. 609 for Mauritius) only indicates the country of membership. There is no requirement for an organisation to be a member of GS1 in the country in which the goods are manufactured. See the GS1 International web site for a full list of International Members.

Q. How can I find out what company a barcode belongs to?

A. Just visit www.gepir.org

Q. Do barcodes always have to be printed black on white?

A. Scanners read the barcode by recognising the pattern of bars. To do this they must be able to distinguish between the bars and the background colour. Black and white gives the best contrast level, but it is possible to use other colours, which may compliment the package design. Contact us for a colour guide

Q. What is the smallest barcode I can use for retail point of sale items?

A. Larger is always better for good print quality. We suggest 100% magnification, and increasing up to 200% or decreasing to 80% as print quality allows. Many factors influence the size of barcode symbols; the most important of which is the print quality achievable on the label, or packaging material. Some printing methods are not precise enough to produce quality symbols at smaller sizes. Because of this designers should discuss proposed symbol size with printers before making a decision on size.

Q. When do I need to change the barcode numbers?

A. The term "product changes" means: any change or improvement during the life of a product, decided by the manufacturer of the product. In the cases described below, the assumption is made that the "new" product replaces the old one. Should the manufacturer decide to create a variant (e.g. with different ingredient) in parallel with the standard product, then a separate unique number has to be allocated.

Minor product changes or improvements do not require the allocation of a different GTIN.

Examples: label artwork redesign, minor product description change with contents unchanged, minor ingredients change. When the product changes affect the product quantity, the product dimensions, the packaging type, the product name or brand, the product description, a separate unique number (GTIN) must be allocated.

Q. How do I get a short barcode (EAN 8)?

A. An EAN8 is a smaller eight digit bar code number, as opposed to a EAN 13 (a thirteen digit number commonly used for products). There is a limited amount of EAN8 numbers worldwide, so to obtain one you will need to provide GS1 Mauritius with label design or artwork with the container for assessment. From there we will contact you and advise if your product is eligible or not.