Barcodes for CBD Products

Unlike THC products sold at designated medical and recreational dispensaries, CBD products are now available in a wide range of retailers across the globe. Aside from global item identification, CBD products are required by certain states to have additional QR barcodes. The information below will provide guidance on exactly what CBD manufactures need to do to correctly barcode their products.

GS1 UPC Barcodes

UPC barcode numbers are not random numbers chosen by a brand owner, but a string of numbers which adhere to a global standard to enable products to be sold worldwide. To ensure authenticity and to prevent duplicate UPC barcodes from being assigned, the data in a UPC barcode must contain a UPC (GS1) Company Prefix issued by GS1 to a specific brand, an Item Reference Number assigned by the brand owner, and a Check Digit which is mathematically calculated. See sample;

It is very important that manufacturers obtain GS1 UPC Barcodes, which we define as a UPC with a brand licensed UPC Company Prefix. Unfortunately the internet is full of websites offering cheap UPC barcodes, which use shared prefixes and goes against the global standards used by most retailers, distributors, hospitals and online marketplaces (i.e. Amazon). Companies who wish to put UPCs on their products are encouraged to do it right the first time to avoid problems with their customers and avoid remaking packaging.

TO LEARN MORE ABOUT GS1 UPC BARCODES, CLICK HERE

QR Code Barcodes

Certain states have mandated specific product data labeling for CBD items. It is extremely important that CBD manufacturers understand the state requirements due to severe non-compliance penalties. Much of the information is for the consumer’s protection and the use of QR Code enables easy mobile scans for expanded information. Some of the common requirements include;

• Certificate of Analysis (COA) – Common testing analysis is for pesticides and THC levels
• Traceability – Batch and Expiration
• Ingredients

Here are a listing of the states with specific requirements (as of May 2020):

• Florida (Senate Bill 1020)
• Indiana (Senate Bill 52 Chapter 21 Section 4a)
• Louisiana (§519 Chapter 5 of Title 49)
• New York (Senate Bill S6184A Section 536-3)
• Texas (House Bill 1325))
• Utah (Utah Department of Agriculture and Food)
• Washington (WAC 314-55-105 [3])

Obtaining QR Codes Barcodes for CBD products

QR Codes can encode different forms of information ranging from a paragraph to a website URL. The QR Barcode for CBD products commonly contains a url which is brand controlled with the required information (i.e. COA). Digital QR Code files (.eps) can easily be generated at www.createbarcodes.com for only $10 each.

For companies who need comprehensive assistance with both the UPC and QR barcodes, we offer support which is available at https://www.barcode.graphics/gs1-upc-barcode-support/. As part of this service, we can host the Certificate of Analysis forms and provide the corresponding QR Code barcode file, for companies who do not have the ability to host this information online.