WASHINGTON -- The Grocery Manufacturers of America and the Food Marketing Institute here have submitted standardized in-store coupon codes and extended bar codes for public review.
Developed by the GMA-FMI Joint Industry Coupon Scanning Subcommittee, the UCC/EAN-128 and EAN-13 prefix 99 systems are designed to expand the amount of scanner-generated coupon data available to brand marketers.
In-store coupons will carry EAN-13 prefix 99 codes, rather than current UCC-12 prefix 5 codes. This will distinguish in-store coupons from coupons distributed by other means, such as Sunday newspaper supplements or direct mail. The different coding is also designed to eliminate a major obstacle to in-store couponing by allowing the in-store coupons to be electronically validated without being included in separate doubling promotions.
After a 60-day public review period ends next month, the Uniform Code Council's board of governors is expected to support the initiatives. The council would then develop the documentation and educational programs necessary to implement the systems. Subsequently, the current universal product code Coupon Code Guidelines Manual will be updated to include the new standards. "The benefit to manufacturers is that this system will validate the proper items that are purchased with in-store coupons because it will eliminate the retail problems," said Carlene Thissen, president of Retail Systems Consulting, Chicago.
The UCC/EAN-128 extended codes are separate number systems that will appear directly to the right of standard UCC or EAN-13 coupon codes, which identify discount value and manufacturer. The extended codes will make additional information -- including household identification, expiration dates and the data needed for electronic coupon clearing -- available to brand marketers.
The coding for each marketing factor can be run independently or in concert with other extended codes. This flexibility is among the system's greater assets, according to Thissen.
"The coupons will contain only the information that the manufacturer is interested in," she explained. "This is important because there will definitely be an issue of coupon appearance. Manufacturers don't want coupons that are covered with unnecessary barcoding."
