Frequently Asked Questions

Maintaining accurate and up-to-date information on your prefix is important to your business. Updating the information associated with the prefix is key to ensuring that your trading partner knows who they are doing business with and creates company recognition for consumers. When an update is made with GS1 US®, the update will appear in GEPIR® and GS1 US Data Hub®| Company. These include updates to the:

• Address
• Business entity structure (LLC, Inc., etc.)
• Company name
• Ownership (Merger or acquisition of a company)

As a member, ensuring your company information is up-to-date, will:

• Ensure GEPIR and GS1 US Data Hub | Company maintain accurate information
• Accurately represent the brand owner of the product
• Enable accurate traceability of the product throughout the supply chain
• Allow your barcodes to be accepted by retailers globally

 

Company Prefix(es) issued in accordance with GS1 Standards (“GS1 Company Prefix(es)”) are fundamental to creating unique - GTINs (Global Trade Item Numbers) - U.P.C. labels - EDI (Electronic Data Interchange) communication - Data Synchronization - Serialized Shipping Container Codes (SSCC) Coupons.

A GS1 Company Prefix is issued to only one company by GS1 US and CANNOT be shared by multiple organizations.

A GS1 Company Prefix uniquely identifies the company, so if multiple companies unknowingly use the same GS1 Company Prefix, it can cause confusion among trading partners, making unique product identification and product traceability problematic and potentially unattainable. In the event of a merger, acquisition or divesture, it should be clear which party will have rights to use the GS1 Company Prefix. Providing notification to GS1 US will help ensure proper registration.

Use GEPIR, the international database tool, to confirm the proper registration of GS1 Company Prefixes. Generally, GS1 Company Prefixes are issued to the company and not a brand.

The Privacy Policy explains GS1 US’ information collection practices, such as the types of information we collect regarding visitors to the sites and how we may use that information. Please view and read the GS1 US Privacy Policy carefully.

A merger or acquisition (“M&A”) occurs when there is an agreement to combine two or more companies or a business sold through the sale of assets or equity interest of the selling company.

A GS1 Company Prefix is for the sole use of the member to which it is issued. GS1 US rules and regulations do not allow for the transfer of GS1 Company Prefix(es) except in limited circumstances, generally involving mergers or acquisitions. The GS1 General Specifications (“Gen Spec”) provides rules and guidelines for transferring GS1 Company Prefix(es) in Section 1.6, “GS1 Company Prefix Allocation.”

 

• Step 1: Complete the Company Prefix Transfer Request
• Step 2: Download and have duly authorized officer of the selling company complete and sign the Prefix Release Letter (Right click this link and Save it to your computer for best results)
• Step 3: Email the completed Company Prefix Transfer Request form, Prefix Release Letter, and supporting documentation to the GS1 US Data Maintenance Team

 

If the Prefix Release Letter from the selling company cannot be obtained, you will be requested to provide additional supporting documentation to demonstrate that the GS1 Company Prefix was intended to transfer as part of the M&A. Refer to the Company Prefix Transfer Request form for additional details.

As noted above, a Prefix Release Letter (Right click this link and save it to your computer for best results) from a duly authorized officer of the selling company, confirming the acquisition and relinquishing the rights to use the GS1 Company Prefix(es).

If a letter from a duly authorized officer of the selling company cannot be provided, supporting legal documentation may include, but is not limited to*:

• Asset Purchase Agreement
• Stock Purchase Agreement
• Certificate of Purchase
• Bill of Sale
• Assignment and Assumption Agreement
• Merger Agreement

Bankruptcy Disposition Documents*The following list is provided by GS1 US, Inc. for informational purposes only and does not constitute or imply that GS1 US, Inc. is providing legal advice.

 

Once GS1 US has made a decision about your specific request, you will receive written confirmation of the decision.

While there is no transfer fee, once the GS1 Company Prefix is transferred, the new company becomes responsible for all applicable license fees.

Refer to the GS1 License Agreement as well as the GS1 General Specifications (section 1.6) for additional information and obligations.

Read section 25 of the Trade Item Implementation Guide for Mergers & Acquisitions, which provides detailed steps to effectively manage and communicate impacted trade item data with trading partners through the Global Data Synchronization Network™ (GDSN®).

Once you have received confirmation of the Company Prefix transfer, you should advise your data pool provider.

No. The information provided to GS1 US is used only to update the prefix registration. Any updates that impact the FDA Labeler Code itself need to be communicated directly to the U.S. FDA. This notification is the responsibility of the company, not GS1 US.

No. The information provided to GS1 US is used only to update the prefix registration. Any updates that impact the registration of an item in the GUDID need to be communicated directly to the U.S. FDA. This notification is the responsibility of the company, not GS1 US.