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It’s been discussed many times before, but how would you like it if your cell phone could read barcodes?  You don’t really need to answer as GS1 is pushing to have it done already.  GS1 has standardized the standard barcode, and wants to standardize the 2D dot matrix barcode, and soon possibly the Quick Response (QR) code.  The company believes that consumers should be able to “scan” these barcodes for a variety of uses.

Possibly the most important use of the barcode “scanning” would be what GS1 calls “extended packaging.”  For this, when you scan a barcode with your phone, you receive more information about the item on your phone.  This information can be allergens, instructions or any other information that might not fit on the packaging.  This seems pretty simple until you think that with this companies could possibly cut down on packaging, saving money and resources in the process.  Thinking further than grocery items, perhaps movies or video games could have less packaging, with most of the information that would be on the back of the case instead sent to your phone through the barcode.  That would be a long way off, but it could be possible.

In the white paper, GS1 also outlines a way for purchasing items through the use of these barcodes.  Simply scan the barcode, and you would be able to buy the content it is selling.  This could be digital items such as songs, or “offline content such as books and CDs.”  It would certainly be a great thing for advertising.  Simply put a 2D barcode or QR code on an advertisement, and allow people to purchase items online without having to actually go through the internet for it.  I do believe this sort of thing is actually already happening in Japan.

I like what GS1 is promoting.  Its something I’ve seen a lot of in the past few years in regard to QR codes in Japan.  Having the barcodes standardized would make everything a lot easier to implement.  Hopefully cell phone companies and carriers jump onboard so we can take advantage of this already available yet not implemented technology.

Read [PR Newswire] Also [GS1]