WASHINGTON — The final implementation step of the GS1 DataBar on coupons, originally scheduled for Jan. 1, 2010, will be deferred until Jan. 1, 2011, the Grocery Manufacturers Association here said last week, drawing praise from retailers who said they wouldn't be ready for the robust technology.
GMA said the decision was made after feedback revealed that retailers would not have the necessary equipment and POS software in place.
“The fact is the industry is not ready. … Staying with the current schedule would have created a significant hardship for many retailers,” Frank DiPasquale, executive vice president of the National Grocers Association, said.