The GTIN enables the identification of any trade item that may be priced, ordered or invoiced at any point in the supply chain. It is the unique key to access information about that item from a database.
If some of the pre-defined information about that item or its packaging changes, you may need to allocate a new GTIN to it. This is so that anyone who needs to interact with that product, whether physically or online, can be sure they’re accessing up-to-date, accurate information.
At GS1 UK, we appreciate that no one ever wants to change a GTIN, but it can have serious implications for the supply chain and customers if you don’t follow the guidance.
This short video will explain more:
The Global Trade Item Number (GTIN) Management Standard is designed to help industry make consistent decisions about when these unique identifiers need to change.