Mobile phone services and barcode scanning improve the shopping experience for consumers

On 17 and 18 May 2011 in Paris, the General Assembly of the International Association GS1 was held. The meeting is another chance to recognize and award member-state organizations as well as to share success stories about the use of GS1 standards and solutions and their implementation across the world. 

The main topic for discussion during the GS1 General Assembly sessions in Paris was the use of services via mobile phones when shopping in order to improve the service quality for the end users, and how GS1 can contribute to develop standard solutions and services, which are interoperable and efficient.

A study of GS1 Germany carried out with the assistance of the Association for Consumer Reseach GfK (Gesellschaft für Konsumforschung) and EHI Retail Institute enjoyed particular interest. 3526 consumers from Germany were asked what product information they are looking for when shopping and where – in the internet or through their mobile phones. Mobile phones are rarely used to obtain information about sanitary and food products while shopping, but as a whole customers look for information about prices, discounts and product tests. 75% of the surveyed consumers believe that the information used when deciding what product to buy should come from a reliable source. Reliability of the information about prices, quality, discount, product tests and ingredients is extremely important. According to those surveyed the quality of shopping could be improved by developing mobile phone services, for example barcode scanning allowing access to additional information about the product; sending coupons and special offers; self-scanning; or mobile phone guide to the location of shops in which a particular product can be purchased. 

The survey concludes that consumers appreciate highly the possibility for access to additional information about products. In this respect, GS1 has standards for secure data transfer, as well as a network of databases with synchronized basic data about products and companies, which can be expanded as an application. The Extended Packaging application of GS1 MobilCom gives consumers access to additional information about a product when scanning its barcode. Besides, consumers especially insist on reliability of the data, which in the GS1 system of standards and products is guaranteed through verification of the data. 

The level of implementation of this type of services varies across countries. In England, 36% of consumers use smartphones to obtain additional information about products. 

Providing mobile coupons for special offers and discounts is evaluated as an extremely useful service, according to the survey of GS1 Germany and observations of other National GS1 Organisations.  In Belgium and Luxembourg the use of coupons as a special conditions sales instrument grew by 250% in the last three years. Generally, coupons are a means of providing discounts for the purchase of a specific product. 

The advantages of digital coupons are that they are relatively easy and quicker to send and receive; they don’t need to be printed on paper or transferred to another hard copy.

Statistics for Bulgaria: For population of 7 093 653 people (July 2011), the number of mobile phones is 10,617 million (in 2009), which ranks us 62nd in the world. The number of internet users is 3,395 million (in 2009), which ranks us 63rd in the world. The number of people who own mobile phones with internet connection grows constantly. Most of the mobile internet users are between 20 and 39 years old and use the internet actively. 

The Bulgarian Chamber of Commerce and Industry is the official representative of GS1 for Bulgaria. The activities on implementing and developing the GS1 standards at national level and the control on application of the standards are performed by GS1 Bulgaria Council with the BCCI (former EAN Bulgaria). More information about the different products and applications of the GS1 system is available at BCCI’s headquarters – 9 Iskar Str.

At the General Assembly 2011 in Paris, GS1 Bulgaria was presented by Mr. Tsvetan Simeonov, BCCI President and Chairman of the GS1 Bulgaria Council and Mr. Hristo Sodev, CEO. At the moment there are 108 national organizations members of GS1, representing 110 countries. Over 1 million companies in 150 countries across the world use the GS1 standards in their everyday work. Every day over 5 billion GS1 codes are scanned. During the past years, GS1 standards have been widely used in healthcare as well. 

GS1 is a leading global organisation dedicated to the design and implementation of global standards and solutions for accurate identification and communication of information regarding products, assets, services and locations in supply and demand chains globally and across sectors. The GS1 standards are used in all sectors of industry and facilitate trade by combining the use of unique identification numbers with data carriers and the process of e-trade. 

GS1 is an international not-for-profit association, the neutral leader enabling communities to develop and implement global standards providing the tools, trust and confidence needed by its partners – large multinational companies and SMEs worldwide. GS1 is a platform for cooperation between the business partners. 

18.05.2011