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Search The Consumer Goods Forum (CGF) launched its Product Data Coalition of Action in 2020 to address weaknesses faced in today’s data exchange processes by ensuring that all products have a unique identification, that all IDs can be verified in real time, and that all brand owners, retailers and platforms follow the same Global Data Model by 2022. Following the launch of the Coalition, Migros Ticaret A.Ş., whose CEO Özgür Tort is CGF’s Board Co-Chair, embarked on a journey in collaboration with CGF member GS1 to drive product information digitalisation and standardisation across their Turkey stores, to improve operations and enhance consumer trust.
Migros Ticaret’s aim in driving the CGF Product Data project in Turkey, in collaboration with GS1 and manufacturers, is to ensure a steady, reliable flow of information, and transparency in operations between retailers and brand owners. Once this is achieved, consumers can access accurate data on the products that they buy in store, and while shopping safely online.
To accomplish this, the first phase of the project was dedicated to designating GS1 barcodes to every product, bearing seven key information points making up individual product ‘identity cards’. And in the second phase, the validity of all products on sale were checked by retailers and online markets through the GS1 Barcode Verification System. Taking place in parallel, the GS1 Global Data Model initiative aimed for detailed product data and features to be determined that could be accepted as a global standard.
So far, data on almost 2,400 products, including Migros Ticaret’s private label brands, has been gathered on the GS1 platform, and the retailer continually checks and verifies barcodes from manufacturers who have joined the project. The company’s overall goal is to have all products sold in their stores registered in the GS1 Barcode Verification System, and calls on all its business partners, locally and internationally, to join the journey.
Commenting on the initiative, Migros Ticaret A.Ş CEO and CGF Board Co-Chair Özgür Tort, said, “We can talk about a real customer experience only when the consumer has access to every information of the product and this information is presented at the same standard for each product. This system will allow us to speak about the data, not the packaging of the products. Our customers will be able to check product ID. In order to pave the way for the sector, Migros has taken the first step and transferred all of its unique food product brands to the GS1 Barcode Verification System. We have also invited our manufacturers to join the system.”
Find out more about the CGF Product Data Coalition.
