Product Traceability Requirements and Effective Labeling

A product’s traceability is an important part of compliance for manufacturers. Through information such as batch numbers, and other product and packaging labels, that help in tracing products to a certain production run and factory- manufacturers provide a means to pinpoint specific batches or products manufactured in a particular time window or location. Most often this traceability proves to be necessary in the unfortunate event of a product recall or safety concerns.

American importers and manufacturers have some of the most stringent guidelines for traceability, showcasing a detailed system of accountability, location-based data, and inventory control. This has become an increasingly valuable and important tool in recent years, especially for international and far reaching trade. A world economy calls for world accountability and marking, coding, and labeling allow for an effective means of accountability.

Traceability is carried out through displaying specific information on a product label, printed coding and marking, or record-keeping documents. The following are top priority for inclusion for traceability:

• Name of the Manufacturer or Importer
• Manufacturer or Importer Address
• Manufacturer or Importer contact information
• Date of manufacturer
• Location of manufacturer
• Batch number or ID
• SKU
• Serial number

Unique digits or an alphanumeric combination such as batch ID, serial number, or SKU are paramount to determining the traceability of a product. The ability to pinpoint specific windows of production, dates, times and precise locations allow for manufacturers to precisely identify affected products in the event of a recall.

Specific industries have guidelines set forth for labeling and accountability. Making traceability a specific set of criteria depending on the industry. AMI recommends working with industry professionals to best find the regulations regarding your industry. We are happy to assist in finding the right hardware and software to meet the requirements of any industry for labeling, marking and coding. The aforementioned label criteria for traceability can be broken down for further understanding below.

SKU: Stock-Keeping Unit code primarily is made up of letters and numbers that identify the product specifications. Information like brand, style, color, size, weight, and other information that describe the properties of the products. The length and format of the SKU are usually not fixed or standardized. Furthermore, additional details can be added to the SKU code to incorporate more information on the products as needed. This flexibility gives manufacturers and suppliers an incredible opportunity to customize the amount of information in a SKU.

Lot / Batch Number: Batch ID, Batch Number, or Lot Number, is a sequence of letters and numbers that are given to a batch of products that are manufactured in the same facility, at the same period of time. These Lot Numbers are more specific to the traceability of an item due to their extremely detailed information and pinpoint accuracy of batch number.

Serial Number: A serial number is unique for a product item or unit and precisely identifies the item. A serial number may be composed of roman numerals, numbers, typographical symbols, or a combination of all. The serial number is a precise identifier of the product at hand.

Production Date: A fairly obvious inclusion is the date of manufacture. Depending on the product, a production date can be found on the packaging or a product itself. This is determined largely by the shelf stability and safety requirements surrounding a specific product.

Production Facility: Of course when it comes to traceability a very important aspect is the facility of origin. The starting point for a product’s journey where any potential hiccups may arise is ground zero for a product’s traceability.

Manufacturer’s Name: The accountable party for a product is of course the manufacturer. They ultimately assume the liability for any faulty or unsafe products. Similarly, importers bear an important role in traceability and should also be labeled on a product.

Manufacturer’s Address: A further extension of accountability / traceability is the manufacturer’s address. This provides a contact route for authorities or other parties to contact the manufacturer should a need arise. A company’s phone number and contact email are also invaluable pieces of information for traceability.

AMI specializes in extensive labeling and coding equipment and technology and our knowledgeable staff can assist manufacturers, suppliers, and retailers alike. Call 1-800-345-6667 or have someone call you.