Barcodes are widely used across industries for managing products, but they can do more than just store pricing information.
In some industries, especially food, pharmaceuticals, and cosmetics, barcodes contain critical data such as batch numbers, manufacturing details, and expiration dates.
Using an expiration date barcode helps businesses track product shelf life and ensure that expired items are not sold or used.
This article will explore how you can check expiration dates from barcodes, the types of barcodes that support this functionality, and how businesses can benefit from implementing such systems. We'll also provide tips on generating barcodes with expiration dates and improving product management processes.
What is an Expiration Date Barcode?
An expiration date barcode is a barcode that contains not only the product's unique identification number but also important data such as the product's expiration date. While not all barcodes carry this information, certain types are specifically designed to hold expiration-related data, making it easier to manage inventory and ensure product quality.
These types of barcodes are commonly found on:
● Food and beverages: Products with a limited shelf life.
● Pharmaceuticals: Medicines and medical devices with critical expiration dates.
● Cosmetics: Skincare products that can degrade over time.
Barcodes like GS1-128 and DataMatrix can encode expiration dates because they have enough data capacity to store extra information beyond product identification. The expiration date is encoded in a specific format that can be read by barcode scanners.
What Types of Barcodes Include Expiration Dates?
While not all barcodes include expiration date information, there are specific types that are designed to store this data:
1. GS1-128 (formerly UCC/EAN-128)
The GS1-128 barcode can encode expiration dates along with batch numbers and other important data using Application Identifiers (AIs). For expiration dates, AI 17 is used, followed by the date in YYMMDD format.
A warehouse managing perishable food uses GS1-128 barcodes on each pallet. When scanned, the system reads the expiration date, allowing workers to prioritize stock.
Example:
Industry: Food and beverage, pharmaceuticals.
Benefit: Efficient stock management with automated tracking of expiration dates.
DataMatrix codes are 2D barcodes often used in the pharmaceutical industry. They hold large amounts of data, including expiration dates, making them ideal for small packaging.
Example:
Pharmacies scan DataMatrix codes on medication to check expiration dates before dispensing, ensuring customer safety.
Industry: Pharmaceuticals, medical devices.
Benefit: Reliable in small sizes and damaged labels.
3. QR Codes
Though primarily used for digital content, QR codes can also store expiration dates and product details.
Example:
A cosmetics company uses QR codes on packaging to provide expiration dates and ingredient details that customers can access by scanning with their smartphones.
Industry: Cosmetics, specialty foods.
Benefit: Easy for consumers to check expiration dates via smartphones.
4. EAN-13 with Supplementary Data
The EAN-13 barcode, commonly found on retail products, can include printed expiration dates beside the barcode for quick consumer reference.
Example:
A grocery store prints expiration dates next to EAN-13 barcodes on packaged foods, making it easy for customers to verify freshness.
Industry: Retail, grocery stores.
Benefit: Combines simple scanning with clear, human-readable expiration dates.
5. Pharmacode
Pharmacode is used in pharmaceutical manufacturing to track production, though expiration dates are often linked to internal systems rather than encoded directly.
Example:
Pharmaceutical factories use Pharmacodes to ensure products are tracked accurately, with expiration dates managed in a central database.
Industry: Pharmaceuticals.
Benefit: Links production data to expiration dates for regulatory compliance.
How to Check Expiration Date from a Barcode?
If you're wondering how to check the expiration date by barcode, here's a step-by-step guide depending on the tools you have available:
1. Using a Barcode Scanner
For businesses and warehouses, barcode scanners capable of reading GS1-128 or DataMatrix codes are essential. These scanners decode the data embedded in the barcode and can display information such as the product's batch number and expiration date directly onto a system.
2. Mobile Apps for Consumers
Several mobile apps now allow consumers to check expiration dates by barcode. By scanning the product's barcode with your smartphone, you can pull up expiration date information if it's encoded in the barcode.
Apps like FoodKeeper and PharmaScan are examples that focus on food and pharmaceutical items, respectively.
3. Manually Checking Printed Expiration Dates
In some cases, the expiration date is printed alongside the barcode in a human-readable format. While not every barcode directly encodes the expiration date, manufacturers often print the date near the barcode for quick reference.
4. Using Decoding Software
There are various software solutions available, like GS1 Barcode Lookup or custom inventory management systems, that allow businesses to extract expiration date information from barcodes by decoding them electronically.
This is particularly useful for large inventories where manual tracking would be impractical.
How to Generate an Expiration Date Barcode?
1. Choose the Appropriate Barcode Type
Select a barcode format that supports expiration date encoding, such as GS1-128 or DataMatrix. These barcodes can handle additional data beyond basic product identification.
2. Input Product Information
When generating the barcode, you'll need to input key product details, including the expiration date, in a specific format. Here's an example of a typical GS1-128 product information code:
Example:
● Product GTIN (Global Trade Item Number): 01234567890128
● Expiration Date: 2024-12-31
● Batch Number: ABC12345
In the GS1-128 barcode format, the data would look like this
● (01) 01234567890128: (01) is the Application Identifier for the product GTIN.
● (17) 241231: (17) is the AI for the expiration date, followed by the date in YYMMDD format (241231 = 2024-12-31).
● (10) ABC12345: (10) is the AI for batch/lot number, followed by the actual batch code.
3. Generate the Barcode
Once the product information is entered into a barcode generator, the tool will create a barcode image that you can download and print on your product packaging. Be sure to test the barcode with a scanner to confirm that the data, including the expiration date, is correctly encoded.
Example Output:
The generated barcode will display the product GTIN, expiration date (31st December 2024), and batch number (ABC12345) when scanned.
In summary, incorporating expiration date barcodes into your product management system can significantly improve the efficiency of tracking inventory, ensuring product freshness, and maintaining consumer safety.
Whether you are a manufacturer, retailer, or consumer, learning how to check expiration dates by barcode is a useful skill that can save time and reduce waste.
If you are a business, using a barcode generator is a simple way to implement barcodes with expiration dates for your products. Barcode maker can help you easily create barcodes that include expiration date information.
