Sainsbury’s has become the latest grocery retailer in the UK to sign up to productDNA, the new product induction platform designed to provide a single source of product data for the retail industry.
The move means that 50% of the retail grocery market has now committed to building the cross-industry platform, which will house more than 170 product attributes, from weight and dimensions to customs, excise and VAT requirements.
Under the stewardship of the industry standards body, GS1 UK, productDNA’s vision is to enable suppliers to enter core product data into a single cross-industry item catalogue. As the platform develops, suppliers will not have to enter their product data into multiple systems for every retailer they supply.
The catalogue will be updated in real time via GS1 UK’s automated data feeds and independently audited and verified by GS1 UK to ensure accuracy.
Sainsbury’s will now contribute its product knowledge to the system and will test the concept to inform the next stage of development. The supmarket’s first productDNA pilot will begin in early 2020 with a small number of branded suppliers in the beer, wine and spirits category.
Graham Biggart, Sainsbury’s Director of Commercial Operations, commented: “productDNA has the potential to be a great tool for suppliers, retailers and consumers alike. So we are delighted to join forces with GS1 UK in the development of the platform to give consumers consistent and accurate information across a wide range of products.
“In addition, standardising information flows across industries will make it so much easier for us to launch innovative new products and upgrades in the future. We will initially focus on branded ambient grocery and look forward to extending productDNA to other product categories as well as our own brand ranges.”
Welcoming Sainsbury’s to the platform, Gary Lynch, GS1 UK’s CEO, said: “The very positive response to our service from other industry leaders such as Unilever, Waitrose & Partners, Nestlé, Tesco, P&G, Ocado and General Mills shows that there is a clear need for productDNA to streamline the way product data is shared and managed across the entire retail industry.
“productDNA is a fantastic example of the retail industry coming together to develop a solution that touches all aspects of the product supply chain. Initially, suppliers of branded products will share all their product data through a single, standardised process rather than having to complete new-line forms per product for each retailer. In trials we are already seeing the benefits of this streamlined approach, with some brands seeing data accuracy improvements of up to 32%.
“Retailers will gain real accuracy assurance in the data they receive, given GS1 UK’s independent audit and verification of the physical product. This means they no longer have to spend time conducting multiple checks across their supply base or chasing suppliers for additional information. With productDNA, retailers can focus on getting the products onto shelves – be that physical or digital.”
