Printed pots are an important tool in modern plant marketing. They do not only attract the costumer’s attention but further have the advantage of being a communication channel.
One very important product identification that shouldn’t be missing is the GTIN (Global Trade Item Number; former EAN =European Article Number). Many retailers demand a GTIN number on the products from their suppliers. But only few people know what a GTIN exactly is, how to use it and where to get a number.
GTIN is a bar code with a usually 13 digits number which enables to track deposited information. Digit 1 and 2 stand for the country where the code was applied for, e.g. 40 stands for Germany. Digits 3 to 7 are reference numbers of the producer and digits 8 to 12 stand for the product identification of the producer. Digit 13 is a check digit.
GTIN are used in scanning systems, especially to implement articles into the system, and often the whole merchandise management system is based upon these codes. Advantages of the GTIN are that they are tied to a worldwide available system and represent a universal number which is used almost exclusively. Besides using the number for the merchandise management system, every receipts and expenditures can be tracked which helps to generate statements and statistics. Nevertheless, some disadvantages are given: Especially for small producers and nurseries the cost for implementing the system along with the application fees and the printing expenses can be disproportionally high. The GTIN furthermore enables consumers to trace the products back to their producers. There are several websites
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