Understanding Barcodes in the Cannabis Industry

Barcodes are used to provide quick access to the data they encode. A barcode scanner is essentially an AI-driven keyboard that returns the encoded data from the scanned symbol. The numbers below the symbol are commonly referred to as the human-readable numbers. There are many barcode standards out there, but today, we will focus on some of the more common barcodes seen around the cannabis industry: GS1-128, UPC-A, and QR Codes.

Barcodes are not just for retail; they are also used throughout the physical plant for identification, which can reduce human entry error and incrementally save labor. Utilizing barcode symbols effectively is an investment that can enhance your cultivation SOP templates and ensure consistency in quality, ultimately impacting the cost of good quality. Proper use of barcodes can also help reduce the costs of poor quality by improving accuracy and efficiency in operations.

GS1-128 Barcode

In Canada, the barcode seen on most product labels or Master Case labels is the GS1-128 Barcode. The numbers within the parentheses are called Application Identifiers (AIs). Common AIs include:

  • (01) – Global Trade Item Number (GTIN14)
  • (10) – Lot Number (20 characters maximum, alphanumeric)
  • (13) – Packaging Date (YYMMDD)
  • (17) – Expiry Date (YYMMDD)
  • (90) – Case Lot Size (00##)
barcode
GS1-128 Example containing the GTIN, Expiry and Batch/Lot Number
Every product sold requires a GTIN, which can be obtained from GS1. This GTIN is then registered to your product and must be included with the barcode. The lot number is a string of characters specified by you, with a maximum of 20 characters, making it essential to consider when establishing your batch and lot numbering schemes within your seed-to-sale cannabis software. The packaging date refers to when the product lot or batch was packaged, not to be confused with the date of harvest, trimming, drying, curing, or bulking. While the expiry date is often irrelevant at this stage—most cannabis products currently have no expiry date listed—you will commonly see "500723" listed after the (17) AI, often referred to as “The end of time.” The Case Lot size is a four-digit number, with zeros preceding the case size. For example, if your master case is a 12-pack of 3.5g bottles, your (90) AI will read 0012.
UPC-A
UPC-A Example

UPC-A Barcode

The next barcode to discuss is the UPC-A symbol, the classic barcode most people associate with the term. It has a fixed length of 12 numeric characters. On your product label, you would encode your GTIN12 number as provided by GS1, ensuring it matches your GTIN14 number in the GS1-128 symbol. Using this barcode in conjunction with your cannabis SOP ensures consistency across all product labels, reducing errors and maintaining compliance with Good Production Practices (GPP).

QR Code

Finally, we come to the QR Code, which has become even more prevalent in the post-COVID-19 era. Often used to encode web addresses or links, QR Codes can redirect users to various media formats, including videos and pictures. In a cannabis production facility, a QR Code could be attached to operational equipment, allowing users to scan it with a smart device to access a playlist of videos on how to clean, use, and maintain the equipment. This instant access to relevant information helps reduce labor time, minimizes the opportunity for human error, and provides the data required in real-time to make informed decisions during execution.

Integrating these barcode systems with your cultivation SOP templates and seed-to-sale cannabis software streamlines operations, ensuring that all processes are efficient, compliant, and aligned with the industry's best practices.

qr code
QR Code example