Wegmans Food Markets Implement GS1 Standards With Wholechain for Seafood Traceability

Established in 1974, GS1 has been pivotal in creating standards that harmonize data collection in global supply chains. The ubiquitous GS1 UPC and EAN barcodes exemplify this effort, providing product information that is universally legible to different systems. GS1 Standards underlie the work of the Global Dialogue on Seafood Traceability, an independent organization since October 2022 involving collaboration among diverse seafood stakeholders such as Wegmans and technology providers like Wholechain.

The GDST has developed a comprehensive global framework for seafood traceability focusing on enhancing data availability by defining Key Data Elements (KDEs) and Critical Tracking Events (CTEs) throughout the supply chain. Such data can be used to validate food safety, product quality, and sustainability requirements. GDST standards reduce compliance burdens and facilitate interoperability between traceability systems. 

The GDST has gone further in developing a Capability Test that mimics the operations of a traceability system in order to verify that solution providers are capable of sharing data interoperably. 

Implications of Seafood Data Standards for US Retail

Seafood supply chains are among the most fragmented in the world. This means that webs of supplier networks may feed into webs of intermediaries, processors, and buyers, all of whom collect harvest and other data using a variety of formats (that is, if they are collecting any data at all). The FDA’s FSMA Rule 204, which intends to harmonize traceability requirements for high-risk food items, including seafood, is providing an opportunity for major buyers and US retailers to examine what supply chain data is available to them. GS1 Standards and the derivative GDST framework for seafood, include data points to answer questions like, ‘what? where? why? and how?’ products move along the supply chain. The answers to these questions shed light on food safety, sustainability, worker welfare, and issues prevalent in the seafood industry, such as connections to Illegal, Unreported, and Unregulated (IUU) fishing.

To begin to answer these questions, buyers must take steps to ensure their suppliers are equipped to collect traceability data in a manner that is easily shared along the supply chain. By implementing GDST standards from source to retail, Wegmans is doing just that — the company ensures that any data collected at the point of harvest is easily communicated to any intermediaries, processors, and distributors, all the way to Wegmans. Wegmans’ approach to systematizing data collection can serve as a blueprint for others seeking to establish an interoperable system of data collection spearheaded by a major US retailer. Establishing such data interoperability is key to achieving end-to-end traceability, supporting US retailers in complying with FSMA Rule 204, and enabling retailers to fulfill consumer desire for greater supply chain transparency.

Interoperability will be the most meaningful change to traceability to date, and I cannot emphasize enough how essential this first step is for our entire industry.”