Brand owners are responsible for assigning GPC codes to their products. You can use the GS1 GPC Browser to find the correct classification and then share that information with your retail partners. Tools like GS1 US Data Hub® and the GS1 Global Data Synchronization Network™ (GDSN®) can help you enter and share GPC data as part of your product master data. There are practical how-to guides on this page to help you.
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The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has approved Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) Food Restriction Waivers from a number of states, allowing them to restrict the purchase of certain items, like soda and candy, using SNAP benefits. The GS1 Global Product Classification (GPC) standard can help brand owners, retailers, and other stakeholders meet these SNAP requirements by identifying products that certain states have deemed ineligible.
Arkansas is the first state to reference using GPC to help identify foods and beverages no longer eligible for purchase using SNAP benefits. As other states announce relevant SNAP Food Restriction Waiver implementation details, you can access information here.
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GPC & SNAP: What You Need to Know
Meeting SNAP requirements can be complex for both retailers and brands. Here's some information to help you get started.
Common Questions
GPC helps trading partners to group products in the same way, anywhere in the world. It gives buyers and sellers a common language for communicating information about their products, enabling easier identification and tracking, improving data accuracy, and speeding up supply chain responsiveness to consumer needs.
GPC provides a standardized taxonomy for categorizing products in the supply chain. It arranges products hierarchically from broad categories to specific classifications. It is structured into four levels: Segment, Family, Class, and Brick. Each level provides more-specific details about a product’s characteristics. Within a Brick, Brick Attributes and their corresponding Brick Attribute Values can provide further information about product features where applicable. The GS1 GPC Browser provides a comprehensive view of all elements within the GPC schema.
Retailers can request GPC information from their suppliers and use it to make informed business decisions, including those related to SNAP Food Restriction Waiver compliance. Tools like GS1 US Data Hub® and GS1 Global Data Synchronization Network™ (GDSN®) allow you to view and synchronize GPC data in real time, ensuring alignment across systems and trading partners. There are practical how-to guides on this page to help you.
GS1 US Data Hub Product View/Use subscribers can perform a search for individual third-party GTINs and view GPC information provided by brand owners in the Product Detail record. Subscribers can also access a file with GPC information through the GS1 US Data Hub | Product GPC Download. Additionally, users with the GS1 US Data Hub Export Add-On can use the Bulk GTIN Search feature to upload a list of up to 100,000 GTINs and receive the data above for each GTIN. Learn more about searching for product data within GS1 US Data Hub.
GPC is an open, voluntary standard that can be explored through the GS1 GPC Browser. Additionally, Verified by GS1 is a no-fee tool that lets you search up to 30 products per day by barcode number (Global Trade Item Number® [GTIN®]) to view their GPC information, down to the Brick level if provided by the brand owner.
Each USDA-approved SNAP Food Restriction Waiver outlines the new requirements a state is putting into place to restrict purchases of certain foods and/or beverages within the program. Individual states are taking their own implementation approaches. As industry and government stakeholders operationalize these requirements, GS1 US® can serve as a technical resource to those using GPC to help identify SNAP-ineligible products.
More information on specific requirements is available from USDA and the relevant state government agency.
GPC is an open global standard developed through industry consensus. Updates to the standard are made through the GS1 Global Standards Management Process (GSMP) and are released twice a year, in May and November. The GSMP is a community-based forum for businesses facing similar challenges to work together and develop standards-based solutions to address them.
Tools to Provide or Find GPC Information
Learn about the tools that help brands provide accurate GPC information—and help retailers access it when needed.
How to Work With GPC Data
Explore practical how-to guides for both sides of the process—brands providing GPC data and retailers or other stakeholders retrieving it for verification or analysis.
- For Brands
- For Retailers & Others
For Brands: Adding or Updating GPC Codes
Get step-by-step guidance on adding or updating GPC codes for your products using GS1 US® tools and templates.
For Retailers & Others: Viewing GPC Information
Learn where to access GPC information for products through GS1 US search and data tools.
GS1 US employees are not representatives or agents of federal or state government agencies. Please consult with your counsel to determine compliance requirements.