Indicod-Ecr (GS1 Italy) is the largest Italian association gathering consumer goods’ manufacturers and retailers. Member companies are more than 34000.
To become more efficient and reduce costs, companies involved in the production and retail of fast-moving consumer goods need systems that employ common languages and standards to facilitate dialogue between sectors. They also need common standards that bring some order to the vast landscape of goods and markets. In addition, such systems must make information exchange easier and, consequently, improve the entire manufacturer-retailer-consumer cycle.
Indicod-Ecr (GS1 Italy) is the Italian not-for-profit organisation that deals with the dissemination of these globally adopted standards and, especially, with the barcode. It intends to promote relationships and information exchange between producers and retailers, thus making the entire supply-chain more effective and better able to meet consumer expectations.
The global language of business: a million enterprises across the world speak the same language through the barcode. This idea came into existence in 1948. In 1978, Indicod-Ecr brought it to Italy. It used to be called the EAN/UCC system, but starting in 2005 it has been known as GS1.
Products become like open books, making it possible to have instant information about the brand, format and manufacturer. It ensures product traceability, which is a fundamental tool to guarantee quality and safety in an ever more global market. The system has clear advantages: faster operational processes, online information exchange and more efficient logistics.
Starting in 2004, work has been under way to develop the Electronic Product Code or EPC standard. Unlike the traditional barcode, with its thin and thick lines and dark and light areas that can be read by a scanner, the new system uses radiofrequency. In 2007, to further develop and test this technology, the EPC performance test laboratory “EPC Lab” was opened. It was created by Indicod-Ecr (GS1 Italy) and the School of Management of Politecnico di Milano in partnership with Hewlett-Packard Italiana and Telecom Italia.
Indicod-Ecr publishes studies, research and analyses on businesses and the dynamics of consumption. It is also involved in training. It communicates using “Tendenzeonline.info” (www.tendenzeonline.info), its house organ, and also has its own website (www.indicod-ecr.it), which is truly a space designed to help companies.  
Today the Indicod-Ecr (GS1 Italy) systems, standards and languages are used millions of times, every day, by companies and consumers. Indicod-Ecr is committed to constantly making these solutions more and more effective, efficient and widespread. All this is always done with an eye on promoting innovation.
It is developing a global data synchronization network (GDSN) to share data between companies, reduce transportation costs and cut down on shipment errors.
It is working on a new model of relationships between manufacturers and retailers.
As in e-commerce, mobiles will use Indicod-Ecr (GS1 Italy) standards to shop, access services and request information.
The solutions and the standards adopted by Indicod-Ecr (GS1 Italy) in the fast-moving consumer goods sector will also bring about efficiency gains and added value in other sectors. For instance, there will be improvements in the healthcare sector, leading to a simple result: the absence of errors in the administration of drugs. It will also impact the electronics, textile and apparel, transport, logistics and automotive industries.
With Indicod-Ecr (GS1 Italy), companies all speak the same language. And the clearer, the simpler and the more straightforward this language is, the more effective, less complex and cheaper trade becomes.