Location and party codes in the food chain

The use of GLNs in the Finnish food chain can yield significant benefits. International examples and experiences from other industries show that the GLN enables the smooth sharing of location and party information between different actors and systems. The systematic adoption of the GLN would bring these benefits to the food chain as well.

GS1’s Global Location Number (GLN) provides a common, unique way to identify parties, functions, legal entities and locations in the food chain. It enables the consistent collection, management, and sharing of origin data from primary production through the food industry, logistics, and retail. The GLN thus forms the foundation for interoperable traceability in the food chain, the automated flow of information, and the reliable use of origin data as part of various business processes.

GLN connects data across system boundaries

GLN is a system-independent code, which means it is not tied to a specific information system or service provider. The same GLN can be identified and processed in the same way across different systems, enabling the seamless transfer of data from one company to another without the need for separate conversions.

The value of a GLN comes from the data associated with it: a single code can be used to convey information related to locations and parties within the food chain. When information is transferred from one company to another—for example, as an order, a delivery message, receipt data, or a traceability report—the GLN serves as a common reference point. It clearly identifies who the sender is, who the recipient is, or which physical location the transaction relates to.

The benefits of the GLN for the food chain

A uniform and uniquely identifying identifier

The GLN enables the unambiguous identification of parties and locations in the food chain using a uniform, globally recognised code. This creates a foundation for reliable data exchange and interoperability between different actors, systems, and countries. GLN complements a company’s business ID by also enabling the precise identification of internal locations and operations within an organisation, such as production lines, warehouse locations, or farm fields.

Clearer processes and more efficient information flow

When delivery addresses and business partners are identified using standardised codes, supply chain processes become more streamlined and the number of errors decreases. A single, commonly agreed-upon code replaces multiple company-specific identifiers and facilitates the use of data in ordering, delivery, and invoicing processes. This improves delivery reliability and reduces administrative work throughout the food chain.

Utilising in automation

GLN can be integrated with machine-readable barcode and RFID solutions, which supports automatic data collection and tracking. This improves data quality, enables real-time tracking, and facilitates scalable digital solutions at various stages of the food chain.

The GLN serves as a key to the associated data

A GLN is not just a string of numbers; it acts as a link to the data associated with it across different systems. When the same identifier is used from one system to another, all parties are referring to the same entity or location without any ambiguity.

GLN as the foundation for interoperable traceability in the food chain

We have assessed food origin data and its future needs in the development projects Data model of food sustainability and Roadmap for food chain traceability. In these reviews, origin information has been identified as a key data element that serves as the foundation for other sustainability information, and its importance is growing, particularly as sustainability regulations evolve. At the same time, consumer expectations regarding transparency and comparability increase the need for consistent and structured origin information.

Identification in accordance with GS1 standards enables origin information to be structurally linked to the product and seamlessly transmitted throughout the entire chain. In particular, location and party information play a key role, as they link the product to where it was processed and who was responsible for it at different stages.

Interoperable and reliable origin information requires concrete measures from all food chain operators. In the roadmap for food chain traceability, standardisation has been identified as a key development phase in which companies identify the relevant locations and parties in their systems and adopt common operating models. GS1 Finland has published a guide The use of GS1 location and party codes in the Finnish food chain (published only in Finnish) that supports this phase of the roadmap by providing practical guidance.