Global supply chain logistics can be complicated. From production and processing to retail distribution and ending up in the hands of the consumer, there are a lot of opportunities for something to happen, causing contamination, spoilage, or damage.
That’s why having a robust tracking and data management program is valuable in many industries—like 3PL, consumer packaged goods, eCommerce, manufacturing, retail, and pharmaceutical.
For the food and beverage industry, it’s even more vital because maintaining a safe and reliable food supply chain is an absolute must.
New food traceability regulations in the U.S. are accelerating the adoption of new supply chain and tracking technology, and packaging operations teams are at the forefront of implementing these changes.
In 2011, the U.S. enacted the Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA)1 to proactively prevent foodborne illnesses, establishing strict requirements under the Food Traceability Final Rule (FSMA 204)2 for tracking and documenting the movement of high-risk foods through the supply chain.
The Food Traceability Final Rule (FSMA 204d) affects companies that manufacture, process, pack, or hold foods with extra focus placed on items that fall under the FDA’s Food Traceability List (FTL)3.
Under this rule, businesses must be able to provide electronic records with a food’s entire history4—where it started from, where it’s been, and what happened at each step—within 24 hours of a request to be able to quickly identify and remove contaminated food.
The final deadline date for compliance of the Food Traceability Final Rule has been pushed back from January 20, 2026 to July 20, 2028.
While EAN/UPC barcodes have been the gold standard for decades across all industries, the growing demands for more transparency, product information, and authentication have necessitated a new solution.
EAN/UPC barcodes, known as one-dimensional (1D) barcodes, are limited in the information that they can provide. Primarily used for looking up info, like inventory levels and pricing, particularly in the retail, inventory, and logistics spaces, they’re not able to manage complex information from multiple sources.
As business needs and customer expectations evolved, the global supply chain industry launched an initiative to meet these needs. Enter GS1 Sunrise 20276.
Note that there are two forms of QR Codes that can be used — static and dynamic. Each has their own uses and benefits.
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