Wine Vision Global Exporting

Canada

THE USE OF THE UNIVERSAL PRODUCT CODE (UPC)
IN THE DISTRIBUTION OF BEVERAGE ALCOHOL IN CANADA

Effective June 1997, the Canadian Association of Liquor Jurisdictions (CALJ) calls for the following standards regarding the use of the Universal Product Code (UPC):

The use of the UPC on all consumer units (i.e. bottles)
The use of the Shipping Container Code (SCC-14) on all cases

In general, these standards comply with internationally accepted UPC/EAN standards. For an unspecified period, it will be necessary to mark products (where applicable) with both the existing CSPC and the UPC numbering systems.

If you are already marking your products with UPC/EAN:
If you are using UPC or EAN today and are conforming to published UPC/EAN guidelines, then your products will generally conform to the required standards. There are only minor differences between the CALJ requirements and the generally used UPC/EAN standards.

If you already have a Manufacturer Number:
If you already have a Manufacturer Number issued by a national or regional UPC or EAN standards body, you may use it to mark your products.

If you need a Manufacturer Number:
In the USA, contact:
The Uniform Code Council Inc.
863 Old Yankee Road, Suite J
Dayton, OH 45458 (513) 435-3870

Outside North America:
Contact your local product code standards body.

Accepted Number Formats:
CALJ will accept the eight and twelve digit formats of the North American UPC and the eight and thirteen digit formats of the international EAN.

PRODUCT MARKING STANDARDS – Individual Bottles

There are five approved ways to locate a symbol on a bottle:

On the front label
On a wrap-around front label so that the symbol, while part of the front label, is on the side when displayed
On a back label
On a sticker
For certain types of bottles, on the tamper evident seal

In each case, the symbol should be placed as close to the bottom of the package as possible. The symbol must not, however, be applied to the actual bottom of the bottle.

Vintages
If there is an intention to market and track different vintages individually, or if the vintages have different prices, a separate UPC must be used for each vintage. Products that are not general list will require a different UPC for each vintage year.

Different vintages of the same product may carry the same UPC if it is a general list product.

STANDARDS FOR SHIPPING CASES

A bar coded Shipping Container Code SCC-14 or EAN13 must appear on two adjacent sides of each case. The EAN13 on a shipping container must be different than the number on the selling units.

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