Packaging
2D codes strengthen consumer protection and brand loyalty
Tuesday 19. April 2011 - Bizerba labelling systems can print QR and data matrix codes
Transparency in food production is meanwhile the essential thing during daily shopping for many consumers. At the interpack international packaging trade fair from 12 to 18 May 2011 in Düsseldorf (Hall 14 Stand C14), the Balingen-based solutions provider Bizerba will be presenting expanded features of its labelling systems which make it possible to apply QR codes and data matrix codes to food packages. The consumer can scan this with their smartphone or mobile phone and gain an overview of the origin and production of the foodstuff directly at the point of sale.
In order to supply food packages with 2D codes such as QR and data matrix, Bizerba has expanded its fully automatic and manual price labellers with the corresponding computational logic. As a result, codes can be generated with variable content and applied to the package.
“The experience of the recent past shows that more and more people ask about the exact origin of a product. The dioxin-contaminated eggs at the beginning of the year as well as the uncertainty as a consequence of radioactive contamination in Japan contribute to this”, says Dieter Conzelmann, Director Industry Solutions at Bizerba, when estimating the current situation. These aspects are now taken into account during the provisioning of the most modern coding procedures which also allow traceability through package-synchronous computation.
Even while shopping the customer in the market can scan the 2D code with the camera of their smartphone or mobile phone and show the foodstuff information on a website – for instance, the exact origin of animals as well as the date of slaughter, production or packaging – on the display. At the same time, the information deposited there can go into minute detail. Recipes, preparation or storage details and also contests can be additionally integrated.
“Such services strengthen consumer protection and not least the consumers loyalty to a brand”, says Conzelmann. Extra information in the food sector ordinarily also stands for extra confidence. Consequently, foodstuff manufacturers and the trade both benefit from the expansion of labelling possibilities.
Traceability in focus
In order to guarantee the traceability of origin and production desired by the consumer side, Bizerba is providing software solutions for sending production data directly from labeller to the Internet presentation platforms. As a result, the required infrastructure can be created quickly and without burdening ERP systems. Bizerba will demonstrate this live at the 2011 interpack (Hall 14, Stand C14) from 12 to 18 May.