Guaranteeing reliable data. Firstly: only 38% of consumers trust brands. Secondly: mobile applications such as Yuka, Que Choisir or Shopwell are popular with consumers, but they are based on data which is sometimes supplied by consumers themselves, with an inherent risk of error or omission. CodeOnline Food was created last October to address these issues, among others. Developed by GS1 France, this structured database aims to collect and share the information on the packaging of all food products marketed in France. As of mid-January 2020, the database included 12,000 GTIN (global trade item number) and 1,300 companies. “GS1 France’s ambition is to co-create a “digital common good” together with the food industry, which would generate value as regards data, and which would benefit market players,” explains GS1 France.

Brands, voluntary contributors. In concrete terms, CodeOnline Food is a digital database managed, i.e. supervised and administered, by GS1 France. It is a device which is based on voluntary commitment. The use of the service relies on the brands’choice. The database contains around 30 items of product data, mainly data which is visible on the packaging: product name, product code, origin, list of ingredients, allergens, nutritional value, any quality-related data (organic, AOC, etc.), diet data (halal, vegan, kosher, etc.), product image, etc. Only brands (national brand, producer’s brand or private label) can create and modify their product information sheet in the CodeOnline Food database. “The system cannot manage variable-weight products, which excludes a number of seafood products,” explain Aurélie Escobar and Gaëlle Auffret, who belong to the GS1 FMCG ( fast-moving consumer goods) team and worked on the CodeOnline Food project. “Frozen, tinned and packaged fresh products are however concerned.”

Transmission of data. Data can be transmitted to GS1 in three ways: via a programming interface application (API), via a web portal (CodeOnline) or via data synchronization (GDSN network). Data quality control and validation rules are in place (automatic verification that the gross weight exceeds the net weight, etc.). The data contained in CodeOnline Food is intended to be totally reliable (correct, complete, up-to-date) and structured according to international data exchange standards (see Global Data Dictionary).

Restricted user access. Unlike mobile applications such as Yuka, CodeOnline Food does not aim at being accessed directly by the general public, but by an entire ecosystem: brands, consumer applications, federations, associations, administrations (DGAL (food standards and security agency), DGE (department for businesses, etc.). Information will be found in all the applications which will be sourced on CodeOnline Food. This will be the case for some consumer applications, and for the Num-Alim aggregator, supervised by the FFAS (French Food and Health Fund), Ania (national association of food industries) and the Fondation Avril.

Collaborative funding. One of the key factors is to convince the 18,000 companies in the agri-food sector, particularly small structures (very small, small or medium size companies). The system is co-financed by users, according to their means. To access CodeOnline Food’s data, you just need to to be a member of GS1 France. The cost of annual membership is related to the company’s turnover (from 85 euros for small organisations). In this way, the entire food industry, from manufacturers to consumer applications, contributes to the development of this “digital common good”.

Fanny ROUSSELIN-ROUSVOAL
* GTIN: global trade item number.
**FMCG: fast-moving consumer goods.

Translation: Catherine ROUSSEY